Sustainable Electric Passenger Aircrafts Will Take Off As Early As 2023
Many airlines have begun to shift focus to offset their carbon emissions and help passengers reduce their travel-related ecological footprint, but Cranfield Aerospace Solutions (CAeS) has promised a practical solution as early as 2023.
Cranfield Aerospace Solutions announced earlier this week that it is actively working on an electric-powered passenger plane set to serve commercial flights from the UK; the first flights are expected to be flown between Scotland and its Orkney archipelago.
“This is going to accelerate our green transport revolution,” Paul Hutton, the CEO of Cranfield Aerospace Solutions, said in a statement.
The aircraft itself will be made by British manufacturer, Britten-Norman, and the power management system will be handled by Rolls-Royce. The electric motor will be provided by the Denis Ferranti Group, while the batteries will be sourced from Delta Motorsport. The plan is to have a low emission engine that will be able to recharge the plane’s batteries during flight.
“Our aircraft makes an ideal launch platform for this [program] due to its renowned reliability and adaptability,” William Hynett, the chief executive of Britten-Norman said. “We remain highly enthusiastic about the prospects of bringing this important capability to our vitally important short-sector market.”
According to a press statement released on behalf of CAeS, the project is funded by a £9 million (US$11.7 million) grant from the UK government.
CAeS isn’t the only one working on electric aircrafts. Israeli aviation company Eviation Aircraft announced at this year's Paris Air Show that US carrier Cape Air is going to be the first customer for its electric airplane, scheduled for 2021 certification.
Los Angeles-based aviation company Ampaire also announced it would start testing a hybrid commercial aircraft as early as this winter.