Aero Magazine International - April 2018

28 | MAGAZINE 02

using lighter and more resistant

materials, the concept provides bet-

ter eiciency, reducing noise and

increasing safety. It also allows to

extend the aircrat’s light envelope.

HYBRID MOTORIZATION

Another great innovation under

study by the industry is the hybrid

motorization system, which com-

bines a jet engine with an electric

motor. Hybrid technology has

proven to be fairly promising in

the world, and it is used in several

sectors, such as the automotive

and the maritime ones. Formula

One itself has invested in the tech-

nology, which seems to be a way

with no return.

In the aviation, hybrid propul-

sion should be the next step for

future fully electric models. Today,

the major challenge revolves around

the batteries. In fact, their energy

capacity and weight. he concept

was applied in the Boeing 787

Dreamliner, which, although it has

had troubles with the constructive

quality of cells in a battery lot, it has

shown to be very attractive in terms

of cost, weight, as well as storing

and recharging capacity.

Models with closed rotors, like

those used in domestic drones,

also represent a trend for the next

decade’s projects, but they depend

on the progression of electric

propulsion use. With a combina-

tion of two or four tilting engines,

these models can provide econ-

omy and safety in urban center

operations. Moreover, they should

dramatically reduce noise, espe-

cially at hovering or in takeof and

landing operations.

TILTING ROTORS

Despite being promising, tilting

engine technology faces challenges

and the most important is its light

instability at the transition stage be-

tween vertical and horizontal light,

when engines are being moved. To

make the situation more dramatic,

the loss of one of the engines leaves

the aircrat out of control. he huge

torque of the engine generates an

asymmetry that makes impos-

sible to control the aircrat. his

demanded the creation of a com-

plex, heavy, expensive and delicate

torque compensation system.

In the case of the V-22 Osprey,

V-280 should replace
the current UH-60
Black Hawk