Zara Rutherford is a World-record-breaking pilot, women empowerment and equality activist. In 2022, Zara Rutherford circumnavigated the globe in a small aircraft and became the youngest woman to fly solo around the world. Her journey lasted 4 months and 26 days.

Zara was born into a family of aviators and was lucky to have great role models in her parents and grandparents. She wants to build on this heritage and with her flight Zara aims to encourage young women to pursue their dreams and reduce the gender gap in aviation as well as in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

This panel discussion will examine operators’ views on whether hydrogen in aviation can scale more quickly to pick up the slack in net- zero targets. Additionally, the panel will delve into the strategic shifts taking place with airline sustainability strategies, discuss what operators need to see more of from hydrogen innovators, and evaluate the potential barriers and advantages for first-movers.

With governments exploring and – in many cases funding – hydrogen infrastructure and production projects, hydrogen as a clean alternative fossil fuel is increasingly becoming a focal point for the aviation industry. Airports are looking at hydrogen for a myriad of reasons: as a source of backup electric power, cleaning up ground support equipment, and, of course, for tackling the “Scope 3” aircraft emissions. There is now real momentum across the world in the idea of an airport as a hydrogen “hub”. In this panel session, we’ll hear from airport, aviation fuel and energy leaders about what recent hydrogen and aviation industry trends mean for the hydrogen airport of tomorrow.

With many eVTOL players advancing quickly through certification, attention is turning to how hydrogen-electric systems can provide greater range and longevity of systems over initial battery dependent designs. Whether it is an air taxi buzzing passengers from the airport to downtown, or an increase in medical helicopters improving response times – the panel will explore how clean, quiet and efficient rotorcraft can revolutionize the future of urban mobility.

Rob Miller, Chair in Aerothermal Technology and Whittle Lab Director, University of Cambridge, in conversation with journalist Ken Silverstein

David G. Victor is a professor of innovation and public policy at the School of Global Policy and Strategy at UC San Diego. He co-directs the campus-wide Deep Decarbonization Initiative, which focuses on the engineering, economic and political challenges associated with bringing the world to nearly zero emissions of warming gasses.

Victor’s research focuses on regulated industries and how regulation affects the operation of major energy markets. Much of his research is at the intersection of climate change science and policy. He authored “Global Warming Gridlock,” which explains why the world hasn’t made much diplomatic progress on the problem of climate change and also explores new strategies that would be more effective. The book was recognized by The Economist as one of the best books of 2011.

The transition to net-zero emissions in aviation is at a critical juncture. A few years out from significant policy developments such as the UK Jet Zero Strategy, the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), and the EU’s Fit for 55 legislative package, and following the passage of the hydrogen-laden FAA reauthorization, the question jumps out – “What’s next?”. This panel will hear from expert policymakers across energy and transport departments on both sides of the Atlantic to compare thinking and approaches.

In the past year, technological advances in hydrogen fuel cell propulsion systems have demonstrated greater specific power and superior fuel density, encouraging potential hydrogen-powered commercial applications. But, are these developments advancing far enough and fast enough to achieve lift-off of hydrogen powered commercial flight this decade? We’ll hear from experts working on the cutting edge of these technologies to learn more about what we can expect from the fuel cell development pipeline.

Hydrogen aviation is symbiotically tied to developments in electric propulsion. As electric propulsion advances, battery, fuel-cell, and hybrid pathways are all further enabled in a potential range of aircraft from 4-passenger air taxis to the narrowbody workhorse of commercial air transport. In this session, the panel will examine new developments in electric propulsion and power electronics, explore the airframe applications they could enable and investigate how this will impact timelines for hydrogen-electric powertrain development.

Ideas just being hatched in labs and yet to be brought to fruition could make the marginal –but still impressive– improvements of this decade look quaint in 2050. What promising pathways currently in infancy might lead to step changes in component capability that unlock the largest aircraft? The panel will explore the bleeding edge breakthroughs at the bottom of the TRL ladder that we should be watching closely.