Airbus considering 19-seat hybrid-electric aircraft for general aviation market

[Larry Dighera]

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/airbus-considering-19-seat-hybrid-electric-aircraft-427715/

Airbus considering 19-seat hybrid-electric aircraft for general aviation market

21 July, 2016 BY: Stephen Trimble Washington DC

Airbus is now considering general aviation designs with up to 19 seats with
hybrid-electric power after meeting with potential development partners among a
small group of traditional US small aircraft manufacturers, a senior executive
tells Flightglobal.

The new studies replace plans to develop a smaller, four-seat, hybrid-electric
general aviation aircraft after demonstrating the propulsion technology in a
future two-seat trainer and current two-seat prototype.

But the larger aircraft concept, if launched, would still serve its primary
purpose as a stepping-stone towards Airbus’ long-term ambition, which is to
develop a 90-seat airliner with a distributed, hybrid-electric propulsion
system.

Airbus flew the prototype, battery-powered E-Fan 1.0 across the English Channel
last year. A new E-Fan 1.2 with a hybrid-electric motor, including an
avgas-powered “range extender," will appear at the Experimental Aircraft
Association’s annual fly-in next week in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. And Airbus is
developing a two-seat E-Fan 2.0 trainer for subsidiary VoltAir to operate
commercially after 2017.

The next step in the E-Fan plan called for developing a four-seat version to
serve the same market as the Cessna 172, except using electric power.
Acknowledging a lack of experience in the general aviation market, Airbus
decided to seek partnerships with US manufacturers already serving the general
aviation market, says Ken McKenzie, deputy chairman and senior-vice-president
of strategy and corporate development.

Airbus’s original concept for the four-seat E-Fan 4.0 was quickly deemed too
small by the potential partners. “They said, ‘We think you should be thinking
bigger than that,” McKenzie says. Aircraft configurations are now being
considered with up to 19 seats, the maximum currently allowed under the US
Federal Aviation Administration’s Part 23 category for general aviation.

[[email protected]]

Larry Dighera > wrote:
> https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/airbus-considering-19-seat-hybrid-electric-aircraft-427715/
>
> Airbus considering 19-seat hybrid-electric aircraft for general aviation market
>
> 21 July, 2016 BY: Stephen Trimble Washington DC
>
> Airbus is now considering general aviation designs with up to 19 seats with
> hybrid-electric power after meeting with potential development partners among a
> small group of traditional US small aircraft manufacturers, a senior executive
> tells Flightglobal.
>
> The new studies replace plans to develop a smaller, four-seat, hybrid-electric
> general aviation aircraft after demonstrating the propulsion technology in a
> future two-seat trainer and current two-seat prototype.
>
> But the larger aircraft concept, if launched, would still serve its primary
> purpose as a stepping-stone towards Airbus? long-term ambition, which is to
> develop a 90-seat airliner with a distributed, hybrid-electric propulsion
> system.
>
> Airbus flew the prototype, battery-powered E-Fan 1.0 across the English Channel
> last year. A new E-Fan 1.2 with a hybrid-electric motor, including an
> avgas-powered ?range extender," will appear at the Experimental Aircraft
> Association?s annual fly-in next week in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. And Airbus is
> developing a two-seat E-Fan 2.0 trainer for subsidiary VoltAir to operate
> commercially after 2017.
>
> The next step in the E-Fan plan called for developing a four-seat version to
> serve the same market as the Cessna 172, except using electric power.
> Acknowledging a lack of experience in the general aviation market, Airbus
> decided to seek partnerships with US manufacturers already serving the general
> aviation market, says Ken McKenzie, deputy chairman and senior-vice-president
> of strategy and corporate development.
>
> Airbus?s original concept for the four-seat E-Fan 4.0 was quickly deemed too
> small by the potential partners. ?They said, ?We think you should be thinking
> bigger than that,? McKenzie says. Aircraft configurations are now being
> considered with up to 19 seats, the maximum currently allowed under the US
> Federal Aviation Administration?s Part 23 category for general aviation.

This is never going to be practical with batteries absent astounding
new battery technology because of charge times.

Fuel cells, maybe.


--
Jim Pennino

[[email protected]]

On Saturday, July 23, 2016 at 2:46:05 PM UTC-4, wrote:
> Larry Dighera > wrote:
> > https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/airbus-considering-19-seat-hybrid-electric-aircraft-427715/
> >
> > Airbus considering 19-seat hybrid-electric aircraft for general aviation market
> >
> > 21 July, 2016 BY: Stephen Trimble Washington DC
> >
> > Airbus is now considering general aviation designs with up to 19 seats with
> > hybrid-electric power after meeting with potential development partners among a
> > small group of traditional US small aircraft manufacturers, a senior executive
> > tells Flightglobal.
> >
> > The new studies replace plans to develop a smaller, four-seat, hybrid-electric
> > general aviation aircraft after demonstrating the propulsion technology in a
> > future two-seat trainer and current two-seat prototype.
> >
> > But the larger aircraft concept, if launched, would still serve its primary
> > purpose as a stepping-stone towards Airbus? long-term ambition, which is to
> > develop a 90-seat airliner with a distributed, hybrid-electric propulsion
> > system.
> >
> > Airbus flew the prototype, battery-powered E-Fan 1.0 across the English Channel
> > last year. A new E-Fan 1.2 with a hybrid-electric motor, including an
> > avgas-powered ?range extender," will appear at the Experimental Aircraft
> > Association?s annual fly-in next week in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. And Airbus is
> > developing a two-seat E-Fan 2.0 trainer for subsidiary VoltAir to operate
> > commercially after 2017.
> >
> > The next step in the E-Fan plan called for developing a four-seat version to
> > serve the same market as the Cessna 172, except using electric power.
> > Acknowledging a lack of experience in the general aviation market, Airbus
> > decided to seek partnerships with US manufacturers already serving the general
> > aviation market, says Ken McKenzie, deputy chairman and senior-vice-president
> > of strategy and corporate development.
> >
> > Airbus?s original concept for the four-seat E-Fan 4.0 was quickly deemed too
> > small by the potential partners. ?They said, ?We think you should be thinking
> > bigger than that,? McKenzie says. Aircraft configurations are now being
> > considered with up to 19 seats, the maximum currently allowed under the US
> > Federal Aviation Administration?s Part 23 category for general aviation.
>
> This is never going to be practical with batteries absent

Well, no. You have to put them in.

> astounding new battery technology because of charge times.

Really? I knew they could do it.

> Fuel cells, maybe.

Fuel sales, definitely.

> --
> Jim Pennino

[[email protected]]

wrote:
> On Saturday, July 23, 2016 at 2:46:05 PM UTC-4, wrote:

>> Larry Dighera > wrote:
>> > https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/airbus-considering-19-seat-hybrid-electric-aircraft-427715/
>> >
>> > Airbus considering 19-seat hybrid-electric aircraft for general aviation market
>> >
>> > 21 July, 2016 BY: Stephen Trimble Washington DC
>> >
>> > Airbus is now considering general aviation designs with up to 19 seats with
>> > hybrid-electric power after meeting with potential development partners among a
>> > small group of traditional US small aircraft manufacturers, a senior executive
>> > tells Flightglobal.
>> >
>> > The new studies replace plans to develop a smaller, four-seat, hybrid-electric
>> > general aviation aircraft after demonstrating the propulsion technology in a
>> > future two-seat trainer and current two-seat prototype.
>> >
>> > But the larger aircraft concept, if launched, would still serve its primary
>> > purpose as a stepping-stone towards Airbus? long-term ambition, which is to
>> > develop a 90-seat airliner with a distributed, hybrid-electric propulsion
>> > system.
>> >
>> > Airbus flew the prototype, battery-powered E-Fan 1.0 across the English Channel
>> > last year. A new E-Fan 1.2 with a hybrid-electric motor, including an
>> > avgas-powered ?range extender," will appear at the Experimental Aircraft
>> > Association?s annual fly-in next week in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. And Airbus is
>> > developing a two-seat E-Fan 2.0 trainer for subsidiary VoltAir to operate
>> > commercially after 2017.
>> >
>> > The next step in the E-Fan plan called for developing a four-seat version to
>> > serve the same market as the Cessna 172, except using electric power.
>> > Acknowledging a lack of experience in the general aviation market, Airbus
>> > decided to seek partnerships with US manufacturers already serving the general
>> > aviation market, says Ken McKenzie, deputy chairman and senior-vice-president
>> > of strategy and corporate development.
>> >
>> > Airbus?s original concept for the four-seat E-Fan 4.0 was quickly deemed too
>> > small by the potential partners. ?They said, ?We think you should be thinking
>> > bigger than that,? McKenzie says. Aircraft configurations are now being
>> > considered with up to 19 seats, the maximum currently allowed under the US
>> > Federal Aviation Administration?s Part 23 category for general aviation.
>>
>> This is never going to be practical with batteries absent
>
> Well, no. You have to put them in.
>
>> astounding new battery technology because of charge times.
>
> Really? I knew they could do it.
>
>> Fuel cells, maybe.
>
> Fuel sales, definitely.

Idiot.



--
Jim Pennino