scholarly journals Design of a Four-Seat, General Aviation Electric Aircraft

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 139-168
Author(s):  
Priya Chouhan ◽  
Nikos J. Mourtos
Keyword(s):  
Energy Density ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Aircraft Design ◽  
General Aviation ◽  
Aviation Fuel ◽  
Control Analysis ◽  
Hybrid Propulsion ◽  
Fuel Prices ◽  
Electric Aircraft ◽  
General Aviation Aircraft

Financial and environmental considerations continue to encourage aircraft manufacturers to consider alternate forms of aircraft propulsion. On the financial end, it is the continued rise in aviation fuel prices, as a result of an increasing demand for air travel, and the depletion of fossil fuel resources; on the environmental end, it is concerns related to air pollution and global warming. New aircraft designs are being proposed using electrical and hybrid propulsion systems, as a way of tackling both the financial and environmental challenges associated with the continued use of fossil fuels. While battery capabilities are evolving rapidly, the current state-of-the-art offers an energy density of ~ 250 Wh/kg. This is sufficient for small, general aviation electric airplanes, with a modest range no more than 200 km. This paper explores the possibility of a medium range (750 km) electric, four-seat, FAR-23 certifiable general aviation aircraft, assuming an energy density of 1500 Wh/kg, projected to be available in 2025. It presents the conceptual and preliminary design of such an aircraft, which includes weight and performance sizing, fuselage design, wing and high-lift system design, empennage design, landing gear design, weight and balance, stability and control analysis, drag polar estimation, environmental impact and final specifications. The results indicate that such an aircraft is indeed feasible, promising greener general aviation fleets around the world. Keywords: general aviation aircraft, electric aircraft, aircraft design

scholarly journals Design of Batteries for a Hybrid Propulsion System of a Training Aircraft

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 49
Author(s):  
Michal Janovec ◽  
Jozef Čerňan ◽  
Filip Škultéty ◽  
Andrej Novák
Keyword(s):  
Energy Density ◽  
Hybrid Systems ◽  
Low Energy ◽  
Aviation Fuel ◽  
Aviation Industry ◽  
Pilot Training ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
Limiting Factor ◽  
Hybrid Propulsion ◽  
Aircraft Propulsion

In this article, we propose the parameters of a battery that would be suitable for the conceptual design of a small training aircraft. The mass design of the battery is based on the requirements for real training flights performed by students in pilot training. Such a serial hybrid propulsion aircraft could be used in our UNIZA aviation, training and education center for pilot training. Due to socio-political pressures in reducing emissions generated by vehicles, there has also been massive research in the aviation industry in the field of hybrid and electric aircraft propulsion. In the introduction, the article deals with the energy sources used in aircraft propulsion. In hybrid propulsion, a combination of aviation fuel and electricity is used as the energy source. The required total energy must choose a suitable combination of these two energy sources. The biggest drawback of batteries that can be used in hybrid systems is their low energy density. Low energy density means that larger and heavier batteries need to be used to achieve the required performance, which is their main disadvantage. Therefore, it is necessary to find a suitable compromise between the hybrid’s percentage, i.e., the ratio between conventional and electric drive. We applied the hybrid aircraft system’s calculations to the real training flights to determine the necessary parameters of the hybrid aircraft suitable for pilot training. This calculation will help in obtaining an idea of the basic parameters of the hybrid drive and the battery parameters, which are necessary for particular applications in the training aircraft. The performed calculations of the hybrid configuration and, especially, the determination of the battery of the hybrid propulsion parameters provide the basic information necessary for the design of the hybrid system of a small training aircraft. These outputs can be used to determine the parameters of batteries that would be used in hybrid systems. A limiting factor to consider with hybrid aircrafts is that the aircraft must be charged on the ground before the flight, which poses interesting logistical and infrastructure problems at the airport.

scholarly journals A Study of Commuter Aircraft Design

1977 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. L. Galloway
Keyword(s):  
Aircraft Design ◽  
General Aviation ◽  
Performance Constraints ◽  
Excellent Growth ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Definition Phase ◽  
Engine Type ◽  
General Aviation Aircraft

Commuter airlines have generally demonstrated excellent growth in recent years. This growth has been accomplished mainly with aircraft that have evolved from larger general aviation aircraft or specially designed utility aircraft. None reflect a configuration optimized for the current type of passenger service early in the vehicle definition phase. This paper investigates the impact of configuration considerations, mission requirements, and performance constraints on conceptual commuter aircraft designs. Emphasis is placed on direct comparisons between turbofan and turboprop powered aircraft in the 10–30 passenger class. The analysis is accomplished using a computerized aircraft synthesis model that simulates the aircraft design and mission. The resulting conceptual aircraft are similar in size and performance regardless of engine type but the turboprop offers more mission flexibility.

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