Hybrid er veien videre - Zunum/AW&ST

Virker motivet kjent? Avinor har brukt det i aktiv markedsføring for et produkt. Er det utidig?  Naturligvis. (Red.)

Friends of Zunum:  Today we announced that we have joined forces with Safran Helicopter Engines to leap forward in the journey toward fast, economic and green regional travel.    Our ZA10 aircraft, under development for entry in the early 2020s, will be powered by dual power sources: propulsion batteries, and a Safran turboshaft in the 1,700 to 2,000 shaft horsepower (shp) Ardiden range. This new model, the Ardiden 3Z, will be used as a hybrid power source achieving demanding cost, efficiency and uptime requirements. It will be coupled with an electric generator, and the integrated turbo-generator will deliver 500kW of electric power to supplement propulsion batteries on key stages of flight and over long ranges. Upgrades such as advanced materials and integrated lifecycle management for hybrid service will dramatically reduce operating costs of the engine by extending the life of critical components.   The Ardiden 3Z is key to the ZA10 delivering breakthrough operating costs of 8 cents per available seat mile or $250 per hour for the aircraft, which is 60-80 percent lower than comparable conventional aircraft. The outstanding performance of the Ardiden, coupled with Safran’s decades of leadership in gas turbines, made this an easy decision.   We also announced the selection of the Rockwell Turbo Commander 840 aircraft for flight testing of the hybrid-to-electric powertrain in the middle of next year. The Turbo Commander has similar weight and performance to the ZA10, as well as excellent single-engine capability, enabling us to modify and test in phases for a high-degree of safety.    Meanwhile, we continue to grow rapidly at all three of our development centers in WA, IL and IN.  We also are engaged with Purdue University on the development of our low-pressure quiet fan, and with Carnegie Mellon University on airworthy battery packs.  We are thrilled that Safran will be collaborating with us to bring affordable high-speed air services to communities everywhere.  Seeing clear skies ahead,  Ashish Kumar CEO Fra AW&ST: Zunum Picks Safran Turbine For Hybrid-Electric Airliner Graham Warwick | Aviation Week & Space Technology Safran will develop a version of the Ardiden 3 helicopter turboshaft to drive the electric generator in the startup’s 12-seat, 700-mi.-range ZA10.