Leeham News and Analysis
There's more to real news than a news release.
Bjorn’s Corner: Faster aircraft development. Part 26. AI speeds up processes.
By Bjorn Fehrm and Henry Tam
February 6, 2026, ©. Leeham News: We have completed a detailed, step-by-step analysis of the certification requirements a Part 25 Air Transport airliner in the 200-seat segment must meet.
In our series, we have seen work that could benefit from an AI agent, and other work where we conclude it will be difficult.
We begin this week by outlining areas where we expect AI to reduce the number of work hours required to complete a task. We will attribute these AI-driven work-hour reductions to the appropriate areas of the aircraft Program Plan in Figure 1.
Figure 1. A generic new Part 25 airliner development plan. Source: Leeham Co. Click to see better.
Outlook 2026: The airliner projects that promise new technology and lower emissions
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By Bjorn Fehrm
February 5, 2026, © Leeham News: We survey new entrants that deviate from the classical gas-turbine tube-and-wing airframe concept and offer airliners the promise of lower emissions and, hopefully, lower costs.
We will do this by starting with those closest to certification and delivery, then tapering off to those who currently fly on PowerPoint.
If we didn’t apply this filter to what we consider real projects, we would describe over 50 entries, with additional ones announced with airline orders every month over the last few years. Few of these have progressed beyond plans, which is why we focus on those that have.
Overall, it’s amazing that 11 years after the Airbus E-fan battery-electric aircraft flew at the Farnborough Air Show in 2014, we still do not have a single certified alternative-propulsion passenger aircraft. We have one light-sport two-seat trainer, the Pipistrel Electro Velis, but nothing else.
Figure 1. The Airbus E-Fan at the Paris Air Show in 2015. Source: Wikipedia.
Singapore Air Show reports only one airline order today
Feb. 4, 2026, © Leeham News: It was another quiet day for commercial aviation at the Singapore Air Show.
One airplane orders was announced, by Tigerair of Taiwan, for just four Airbus A321neos. Pratt & Whitney inked an order for its GTF engine to power A321s for Vietjet.
And that was it.
In other news via LNA’s AIN news partner:
Few orders announced today at Singapore Air Show
Feb. 3, 2026, © Leeham News: There were few orders announced today at the Singapore Air Show.
Boeing and ATR were the only announced commercial orders. Embraer revealed a previously announced order for the C-390 tanker-transport. And that was it.
In other news from LNA’s news parter, AIN:
Fourth EU Clean Aviation funding proposal recognises hydrogen’s upcoming importance
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By Charlotte Bailey
Feb. 3, 2026, © Leeham News: The European Union co-funded Clean Aviation project has announced its fourth call for proposals, with an initial draft set to be followed by a formal version issued this month.
The upcoming call will provide up to €329.5m ($386m) in EU funding for disruptive new aircraft technologies, providing an estimated €824m ($966m) when combined with input from the private sector.
Speaking at the November 2025 Sustainable Aero Lab’s Future Aviation Festival in Amsterdam, EU Clean Aviation executive director Axel Krein explained that the next round will focus on technologies applicable to short-to-medium range aircraft, including regional aircraft architectures.
These will be augmented by the development of “transverse activities” (such as applicable certification standards) and other complementary “fast track areas.” The largest of five separate funding streams will be allocated to the development of ‘Ultra-Efficient Short to Medium Range (SMR)’ aircraft, with €130m ($114m) split across five projects.
The research and technology roadmap focuses on demonstrators up to ground testing, “addressing all key technologies,” states the proposal. This will validate the performance of technologies up to Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6.
Flight demonstrations could also be used to validate testing “in realistic operational conditions.” Clean Aviation expects to complete a flight test demonstrator configuration freeze by the end of 2026 to support the start of flight testing by the end of 2029. A hybrid-electric Ultra-Efficient Regional Aircraft has been proposed as the baseline concept for this 50-100 passenger regional aircraft. Clean Aviation will also award €40m ($46m) for the development of an “advanced airframe for ultra-efficient regional aircraft.”
Net Zero by 2050 is beyond reach, but R&D, SAF work continues
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By Scott Hamilton and Bjorn Fehrm
Feb. 2, 2026, © Leeham News: When the International Air Transport Assn. (IATA) adopted its carbon Net Zero by 2050 policy at the October 2021 Annual General Meeting, it included milestones for increasing the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). The outline also included the adoption of alternative energy technologies like hydrogen, batteries, and hybrids.
Tim Clark, president of Emirates Airline. A voice of reality when it comes to eco-aviation. Credit: Emirates Airline.
Some, including LNA, quickly concluded that the timeline and some of the technologies were unachievable. Tim Clark, the president of Emirates Airline, attended the IATA AGM. Don’t make promises you can’t keep, he told the assembly.
Since then, airlines across the globe have relaxed or even abandoned the IATA goals for their internal efforts.
SAF remains an elusive alternative. So does hydrogen. Battery-powered eVTOLs appear just around the corner for certification. However, developers of battery-powered commuter and regional airliners hit the reality that the weight of the batteries needed for even flights of a few hundred miles weighs more than is feasible. Some hybrid technologies appear to have promise, yet likely are technologies that appear to have promise for certain aircraft architectures, but need higher-performance batteries, which pushes these into the next decade.
Still, Europe continues to place a priority on sustainable aviation. Airbus, engine manufacturers and key suppliers continue their drive toward more sustainable aviation. However, Airbus backed off its 2035 target for a hydrogen-powered airplane. Rolls-Royce, key engine supplier MTU, and components supplier GKN, and others, strive for improving fuel efficiency and reducing emissions. Safran, a partner with GE Aerospace in the 50-50 joint venture CFM International, and an interiors manufacturer, likewise seeks environmental improvements to their products.
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In Asia, China is making a big bet on eVTOLs (and solar and automobile electric power). Its eVTOL industry is already flying in China. The country is the biggest producer in the world of solar panels and high-performance battery cells. China’s auto industry has a line-up of electric cars from small to luxury based on its battery technology.
Open Forum, Week of Feb. 2
Feb. 2, 2026: LNA’s Comments Open Forum allows Readers opportunities to comment about any post (note, we said “Post”, not any “Topic”). All comments will be held for review and Moderation per our new policy. The Open Forum enables Readers to Comment on paywall articles (to the extent the paywall preview is open to all readers).
Maintain civility and follow Reader Comment rules.
A new Open Forum will be posted weekly.
Singapore Air Show coverage begins Feb. 3 (local time)
Feb. 1, 2026, © Leeham News: The Singapore Air Show begins on Feb. 3 local time (Feb. 2 in the US and Europe). LNA’s sister publication, AIN, is on site and will be reporting from the show. LNA will pick up selected stories.
AIN’s coverage already is underway with some pre-show posts:
Flash: SPEEA union at Boeing Wichita OKs new contract with 85.8% voting yes
Jan. 30, 2026, (c) Leeham News: Members of the engineers and technicians union at Boeing Wichita (the former Spirit AeroSystems plant) approved a 4.8 year contract 85.8% to 14.2%.
“The contract was approved by a 671 to 111 vote of dues-paying members of SPEEA’s Wichita Technical & Professional Unit (WTPU),” the union announced tonight.
“The average WTPU-represented worker will be making more than $117,000 a year when this contract is done in 2030. In addition, we’ll see significant improvements to our health care benefits with lower premiums, we’ll have more days off from work and we’ll have a higher incentive pay target,” the union said in a press release. Union negotiators unanimously endorsed the Boeing offer.
Bjorn’s Corner: Faster aircraft development. Part 25. The Difference between Continuing and Continuous Airworthiness.
By Bjorn Fehrm
January 39, 2026, ©. Leeham News: We have done a series about ideas on how the long development times for large airliners can be shortened, while at the same time describing all the regulatory work that must be done, regardless of work practices.
It’s now time to sum up what we have looked at in terms of speeding up the development of a Part 25 Air Transport airliner in the 200-seat segment. But before we do that, we will look at what an operator of the aircraft we have delivered will have to do to qualify it for operation with its local regulator.
For an operator to operate our aircraft, Continued Airworthiness, as described in last week’s article, is not enough; the Operator must add what can be called Continuing Airworthiness. These words are close but not the same, and there is a substantial difference in what’s behind them.