A pioneering design for a Hybrid Electric Regional Aircraft which will deliver a technical and commercial entry point for sustainable mass air transport is being unveiled.
The disruptive design has been developed by the Electric Aviation Group (EAG), the UK-based engineering and development firm, which expects its first aircraft to be in service by 2028.
EAG has optimised the latest technology, economics and operational parameters to create the design for the Hybrid Electric Regional Aircraft (HERA), to ensure it can solve the challenges of decarbonisation and mass transportation.
The design, which is being unveiled to coincide with the opening of FIA Connect, the virtual Farnborough Airshow, has received unequivocal support from EAG's JetZero consortium, which includes some of the UK's leading engineering and manufacturing organisations and senior academic advisors.
EAG will draw on the rich heritage and strong aviation industry in Bristol when it begins production of the new aircraft for which it has already developed and filed a total of 25 patents covering a wide range of technologies.
The organisation expects to initially create more than 25,000 jobs and unlock $5 billion investments in the UK aerospace industry.
Key information about the 70+seater HERA:
Whisper-quiet operation reduces noise pollution
Innovative airborne battery regeneration to minimise turn-around time
Efficient battery integration
Thermal management of motors and power electronics
Gear Assisted Take-Off Run (GATOR) gives rapid acceleration for a quick lift-off reducing energy requirements
Short take-off-and-landing (STOL) performance enables new route opportunities affording greater profitability to operators
Cabin-flex design enables passenger operation during the day and cargo operation at night
Suitability for operating from regional airports brings convenience to travellers and gives increased proximity to warehouses, enabling private sector cargo to optimise last-mile terrestrial logistics and delivery systems and reduce carbon emissions
Future proof design to accommodate alternative energy sources if available before 2030
Flexibility to transform into an all electric or carbon neutral as the battery density improves or alternative fuels and associated powertrain technologies mature and become affordable. ■