MANUFACTURING INNOVATIONS
20 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018 AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY
An example in the commuter market
is the Zunum Aero project a 19-seater,
optimized for a 700-nm range — a start-
up financed by Boeing Horizon X and
JetBlue technology Ventures which is
supposed to fly in 2019/20. To be flown
piloted or as a drone, its series-hybrid
powertrain was designed for an eventual
transition to fully electric, without requir-
ing any mechanical retrofitting. More on
Boeing and this topic in the next edition
of AMT magazine.
ROTARY WING, E-HELICOPTERS,
MULTICOPTERS
A flood of newcomers to the market are
intruding with new VTOL designs into
this previously classic helicopter segment.
This segment includes electrified conven-
tional helicopters and new helicopter-like
aircraft.
Many new designers and small startups
(specially in the experimental world) are
presenting traditional style helicopters
with classic helicopter architecture engine,
main rotor, and tailrotor but powered by
an electric motor.
The German Volocopter 2X was
launched in 2017. This VTOL aircraft is
purely electric and is capable of carrying
two persons. Its 18 electric motors give
VOLOCOPTER
PROVIDED BY MARINO BORIC.
PIPISTREL PANTHERA
PIPISTREL
AIRBUS E FanX graphic.
ROLLS-ROYCE