Japan Airlines (JAL) is teaming up with a French innovator in sustainable and economic aircraft design to develop the Maeve Jet, a hybrid-electric regional aircraft.
Japan’s flag carrier airline signed a memorandum of understanding with Maeve Aerospace and JAL Engineering Co. (JALEC) to begin the partnership, which JAL hopes will “transform regional air transportation” in Japan while “promoting the development of sustainable aviation technology”.
The jet represents a new approach to regional airline design, offering “improved operational economics over existing aircraft through its mission-optimised design weights and innovative systems architecture”, according to Maeve Aerospace. The design is expected to bring significant improvements to energy efficiency, enabling a 40 per cent reduction in the jet’s overall emissions without relying on sustainable aviation fuel.
“As an island nation, Japan relies heavily on air travel to connect its regions. It is essential to maintain a sustainable regional network to balance public benefit and business viability. The Maeve Jet offers a solution that significantly reduces environmental impact while enhancing economic efficiency,” said Yuji Koyama, senior vice president, corporate planning of JAL.
Martin Nuesseler, chief technology officer of Maeve Aerospace, said his company and JAL “share the vision to develop solutions that have the ability to generate an early impact without relying only on decarbonised fuels and further investments in new infrastructure.”
JALEC’s role will involve supporting safety and efficiency of the jet’s design and maintenance, as well as ensuring compatibility with Japan’s infrastructure.
Takashi Hamamoto, president of JALEC, added: “We aim to help establish new energy-efficient standards for the industry’s future.”
