Aero Magazine International – September 2019

MAGAZINE 10 | (^59)
TRENDS
LONG RANGE
The launch of the A321XRL has
confirmed the interest of the
regular aviation market for sin-
gle-corridor and intercontinen-
tal-range aircrafts. With less front
area than two-corridor models
and good transportation capacity,
narrow-fuselage aircrafts become
the ideal model for long distance
and medium demand routes. The
A321XRL may be able to allow the
opening of over a hundred point-
to-point routes, especially flying
between secondary destinations.
HYBRID AVIATION
Remotorized aircrafts, including
Airbus neo series, 737MAX and
777X of Boeing and E-Jet E2 of
Embraer, unquestionably are best
sellers. However, gas turbines have
achieved their development limit.
The future may be in hybrid engi-
nes, similar to the concept adopted
in the automobile industry. Now
several startups compete with
industry giants to show a best and
most efficient technology for the
environment than traditional pro-
jects. It is expected that in the next
decade the market would receive
the first hybrid jet engines, that
should have high-power and highly
reliable electrical units.
MODULAR BATTERIES
The Achilles’ heel continues to be the
limitation of lithium-ion batteries.
Instead of high-capacity liquid batte-
ries, current projects consider a more
palpable concept in a short term:
modular batteries. Aircrafts will have a
battery set changed in a few minutes at
each landing, as a conventional refue-
ling, substituting units with low charge
by other recently charged ones.
EVTOL
Focus on electric propulsion reflects a
race to develop urban flying taxis and
longer range fully electric aircrafts.
According to Roland Berger consul-
ting company, the number of electric
aircrafts under development has in-
creased nearly 50% last year, achieving
the mark of 170. The number may
increase to 200 until the end of 2019.
Most of the projects is connected to
the development of an autonomous
urban aircraft that will allow massive
access to air transport in big cities.
ALICE
The Israeli company Eviation Aircraft
has presented in the salon of Paris its
Alice concept, a 100% electric aircraft
with capacity of up to nine passengers
and range of 1,000 kilometers with a
single charge. Even being conceptual,
the startup has got its first customer,
the American firm Cape Air, who in-
tends to be pioneer in regular aviation
electrification.
ECOPULSE
Airbus (EADSF) also intends to test
a hybrid aircraft until 2022 and has
announced a cooperation with the
European aerospace firms Daher and
Safran. The project, named EcoPulse,
considers that Daher will take over the
installation of components and systems,
while Safran will make the propulsion
system and Airbus will develop the air-
craft project, including the aerodynamic
design and the issue of the batteries.
The aircraft will operate in a distributed
hybrid propulsion system, which inclu-
des a turbogenerator that feeds electric
motors and propellers.
MERGER
UTX AND RAYTHEON
United Technologies (UTX) has an-
nounced plans to merge with the de-
fense firm Raytheon (RTN). It also has
presented a hybrid electric project that
should be operational until 2022.