In a stand out keynote on the opening day of the Virtual EBACE Connect, NBAA President Ed Bolen interviewed aviator and philanthropist Erik Lindbergh, pre-recorded at the Museum of Flight in Seattle.
Erik highlighted his ambition in 2027 to replicate the centenary of the first solo flight across the Atlantic by his grandfather, Charles Lindbergh with a flight from New York to Paris in a low or zero-carbon aircraft. A hybrid-electric model will likely be the best solution, he suggested. “Electric distributed propulsion gives the ability to put thrust anywhere an airframe lets you with completely new missions like eVTOL and eSTOL. Over the next five to 10 years, these new aircraft are going to change the way we move around the planet. And it will start with short and medium-range missions,” he said.
Lindbergh lauded business aviation’s drive on sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). “There will be new biofuels, and potentially hydrogen and other alternative fuels like ammonia, but they are new and unproven,” he commented.
“SAF has shifted from using palm fuels and now companies are taking fuel stocks that are much more sustainable. This is the bridge that will get us to these other fuels and crazy new batteries, so we have to use what we have now and slowly transfer to what’s coming.”
He highlighted that The Charles A and Anne Morrow Lindbergh Foundation* is looking forward to launching a series of global prizes for innovation that takes aviation sustainability to commercial viability through its ForeverFlight initiative, backed by the XPrize Foundation and $100million funding from Elon Musk.
During the conversation Erik paid tribute to his Grandmother – Anne Lindbergh, who was the world’s first female glider pilot and the ‘true heroine’ of the family. Her book Gift from the Sea, an inspirational book for women, which foreshadows the green movement. It has sold 20,000 copies since it was published 50 years ago.
Erik Lindbergh said he has ‘huge admiration’ for business aviation drawing on his remarkable and enjoyable time working with Air Charter Service in London. ‘Charter brings the world together. It involves a lot of complex permissions and logistics, moving people, cargo and more. It plays a big part in humanitarian efforts too, he said.
Aviation is a hidden silver lining – it gives us the freedom to transport ourselves – it pulls people together physically and emotionally, added Ed Bolen, thanking Erik for his insight and congratulating him on the great work he is doing for future flight.
*The Lindbergh Foundation continues the legacy of Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh’s lifetime of service spearheading bold solutions and inspiring talent to help balance technology and the environment. Founded in 1977 by Neil Armstrong, General James Dolittle and other friends of the family, it has a distinguished history of enabling innovation. Through its awards it has honoured prominent individuals for their contributions to aviation and the environment.
