We speak with the Founder and CEO of Wright Electric, an aviation company with a goal to make all regional single-aisle flights zero-emissions. In the news, Boeing testified before the NTSB about the 737 door plug incident, American Airlines new standby rules are criticized, Space-X may bring the Boeing Starliner astronauts back from the International Space Station, and the impact on Delta Air Lines after the Microsoft/CrowdStrike global IT outage. We also have an Australia News Desk report.

Guest

Jeff Engler is the Founder and CEO of Wright Electric. The company develops ultra-lightweight electric motors, generators, and batteries for aerospace and defense. Wright is leveraging the company’s megawatt-class propulsion system to transform a 100-passenger BAe 146 into an all-electric, zero-emissions aircraft. Wright and Columbia University are developing batteries that are up to four times lighter than lithium-ion.

Jeff explains how the company all started with a newsletter and came to focus on flights with more than 100 passengers and shorter than 800 miles. He describes what distinguishes aircraft propulsion electric motors from other electric motors, and how the transportation market segments into different technologies for different applications.

We consider the important issue of battery energy density and why Wright has decided to develop their lightweight batteries. Also, we discuss programs the company is involved in, the C-130/LM-100J and BAe 146 aircraft that support the technology development, and Wright’s commercial, government, and academic partners. Jeff describes Wright’s timeline targets for retrofitted and clean-sheet electric aircraft.

Jeff started the company when he learned flying tripled his carbon footprint. He incubated Wright through a Harvard University fellowship and led Wright through the selective Y Combinator accelerator program. He previously co-founded Podimetrics, a medical device company that has raised $70M+ in venture funding. Jeff has undergraduate and graduate degrees from Columbia and Harvard.

See:

Wright Steps Up Ground Testing for 2.5MW Electric Motor

Wright Electric assembling 2.5MW WM2500 electric propulsion unit

Wright Electric & Columbia University Receive U.S. Department of Energy Award for Ultra-Lightweight Battery Development

U.S. Air Force Backs Wright's Work On Rechargeable Thermal Batteries

Surprise test flight heralds ultra-long-range electric aircraft by 2028

Samsung’s EV battery breakthrough: 600-mile charge in 9 mins, 20 year lifespan

Alliance for Zero-Emission Aviation (AZEA) - The Alliance is a voluntary initiative of private and public partners who share the objective of preparing the entry into commercial service of hydrogen-powered and electric aircraft.

Other articles supporting our conversation:

DOD Report: Consolidation of Defense Industrial Base Poses Risks to National Security [PDF]

Reducing the Cost of Space Travel with Reusable Launch Vehicles - NSTXL.

Aviation News

NTSB chair: Boeing reassigning workers to Everett was retaliation

NTSB chief rips Boeing over lack of 737 Max answers

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) held an investigative hearing open to the public in the NTSB Boardroom on August 6-7, 2024. During the hearing, the NTSB gathered sworn testimonies about the Jan.​ 5, 2024, Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 door plug incident. This was a fact-finding step in the safety investigation and the testimonies became part of the public record.

NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy asked Boeing Director of Quality Hector Silva if he was “100 percent sure a defect will not occur tomorrow” and whether he was “100 percent sure there will never be an unauthorized removal” of a door plug. He replied, “No.” Boeing factory workers told the hearing they felt pressured to work fast and complete jobs for which they did not feel qualified.

Videos of the hearing are publicly available.