Why don't electric aircraft ever get lost? They always follow the current! ⚡️
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Today, we are talking to Kevin Noertker from Ampaire
Last episode, we chatted about decarbonizing industrial production through the use of green hydrogen. Today, we are taking a trip up to the clouds to discuss how we can decarbonize the skies today.
Kevin started his career at NASA and ended up at Northrop Grumman, where he worked on Space and Aircraft technologies before he ended up founding Ampaire.
At Ampaire, they are decarbonizing air travel today. They are jetting for a solution that bridges the gap between fully electric and traditional travel and it saves about 50% fuel usage.
Today, Kevin takes us through his story and we explore a few topics:
Aerospace Engineer to Ampaire: His story of co-founding Ampaire.
Addressing Existing Stock: Electric aircraft is the future, but their solution helps address the existing stock of aircraft.
Bridging the Infrastructure Gap: How fully electric air travel will require massive infrastructure upgrades, so they are building a solution that will work in between.
I know we say this a lot, but it genuinely was inspiring to speak with Kevin, learn from him, and, all the while, see how humble he is despite doing truly incredible things. See you in the cloud(s) ☁️
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The Guest: Kevin Noertker
Kevin originally grew up in Utah surrounded by nature.
After his university experience he landed a role with NASA.
From there he worked on Space and Aircraft at Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems.
After 7 years of that he Co-Founded Ampaire. Once he got a feel for building new technologies at scale, he had the confidence to start his own company.
The Company: Ampaire
One Liner: Designing, Engineering, and Producing Hybrid Aviation Propulsion Systems to Decarbonize Air Travel Today.
Founded out of the expeirence Kevin and his co-founders had in aerospace, with the desire to revolutionize air travel.
They originally started with the goal of building fully electric aircraft, they eventually shifted to hybrid propulsion systems.
This allows them to make an impact on decarbonizing the aviation industry today.
Today, they have proved out their tech and are approaching commercial deployment at scale.
Do you have suggestions on future guests or topics? Leave a comment!
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📝 Show Notes:
Topics
1:53 Intro and Background
7:01 The Impact of NASA Experience
14:20 The Third Revolution in Aviation
17:09 Economic and Environmental Benefits
28:19 Commercialization Process and Milestones
38:39 Design Considerations for Hybrid Systems
42:21 Infrastructure and Charging
42:58 Recharging Electric Aircraft in the Air
43:18 Adapting Infrastructure for Electric Aviation
44:54 Takeaways
Links
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🙏🏽 Thanks for tuning in, and see y’all next episode!
#186 Electric Flight, Commercializing Hardware, Sustainable Aviation, Working at NASA, & More w/ Kevin Noertker (Ampaire)