The Apus Group's i-2 aircraft will have tanks for gaseous hydrogen fuel in its wings and have a dual redundant powertrain. (Image: Apus Group)
APUS WINS STRATEGIC FUNDING FOR FAMILY OF HYDROGEN-POWERED AIRCRAFT
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JANUARY 18, 2023
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Software entrepreneur Rolf-Jürgen
Moll is joining Germany's Apus Group as a strategic investor in its plans to
develop hydrogen-powered aircraft. The company’s January 18 announcement
did not disclose the amount of the new funding, but APUS founder and CEO
Phillip Scheffel said that it has now raised €40 million ($43
million)—enough to support work to have an initial prototype flying in the
first half of 2024.
Apus,
which is based at Strausberg Airport near Berlin, is developing a four-seat
aircraft called the i-2 and the larger i-5, which is a 14-passenger commuter
model. Both will feature Apus’s own design for a fuel-cell-based powertrain
burning gaseous hydrogen, and are expected to be priced at €1.4 million and
€3.8 million, respectively.
The
Berlin-based founder of the LucaNet financial software provider, who is a pilot
and aviation enthusiast, will be involved in supporting the Apus team as it
works toward a goal of certifying its first aircraft in 2025. The
company has been working on its technology since 2015 and expects to have an
initial prototype of the i-2 design ready to start ground testing by the end of
2023.
The
hybrid configuration features a combination of fuel cells and batteries, with
the latter providing additional power during takeoffs. The i-2 will have a pair
of nacelle-mounted electric motors and there will be four 150-kW motors on
the larger i-5 model. For safety, each set of motors, fuel cells, 40-kW
batteries, and all associated components and systems will be able to operate independently
in the event of a failure in part of the powertrain.
Both
aircraft designs feature integrated fuel tanks for the gaseous hydrogen that
are built into the wing, and these essentially serve as spars, reducing overall
airframe weight in the process. This design, patented by Apus under the
trademark Tubestruct, is expected to support an impressive energy density
of 3,000 Wh/kg. The fuel cells will be installed in the nose of the aircraft.
Green Options for Private Fliers and Regional
Airlines
Scheffel
told FutureFlight that he expects the i-2 to attract private
individuals and companies seeking convenient transportation options but without
the environmental impact of aircraft that depend on fossil fuels. It will
have a range of around 500 nm and a cruise speed of 160 knots, which he
believes will make it competitive with aircraft such as the Cirrus SR20 piston
single, which has more range at just over 700 nm.
The i-5
is intended for roles including both passenger and cargo services, and could
also be configured for a variety of multi-mission applications. The distinctive
twin-boom design, which will have two motors on each side of the wing, is
expected to deliver a payload of 1,770 kg (3,894 pounds), a range of 800 nm,
and a cruise speed of 160 knots.
Apus Group is also developing a
14-passenger hydrogen-powered aircraft called the i-5 that could be used for
cargo and utility applications. (Image: Apus Group)
One
factor in Apus’s choice of gaseous hydrogen over liquid fuel is that the
company sees the former being more available at airports and airfields in the
near to medium term since it can be more readily delivered in mobile
tanks. Based on current hydrogen gas prices of around €5 per kilogram, the company
is projecting seat-mile costs for the i-5 of just €0.13 and ton-mile costs for
freight of €0.99.
Lower Operating Costs
Another
anticipated saving in operating costs is based on the longer mean time between
overhauls for fuel cells, which Apus sales and business development
manager Laurent Altenburger said will result in significantly lower maintenance
costs. The company has estimated that the overall operating cost will be
40 percent less than for a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan turboprop single, which is
one aircraft the i-5 could potentially replace. The i-2 would have operating
costs that are around 20 percent lower than those of the SR20.
Still
to be determined—and a significant unknown factor in the timeline for service
entry of the first hydrogen aircraft—is the basis on which aviation regulators
will certify the new propulsion technology. According to Apus, it is the only
hydrogen pioneer to have formally started the type certification application
process with EASA, with an application having been filed with the European air
safety agency. For the i-5 model, the company has made a type certificate
application with Germany's LBA regulator.
The
company, which has also received funding from the German government and the
European Union, already holds both design and production organization
approvals from the EASA. It has existing revenue streams from its work
supporting other aircraft manufacturers as an engineering subcontractor and
also from flight services support.
Apus
had intended to source the electric motors from aircraft engine
manufacturer Rolls-Royce, but the 135 kW to 150 kW units it had specified
are no longer available. It has now turned to France's Safran group for the
motors.
Garmin
is expected to provide its G1000 avionics suite for the i-2 and i-5 aircraft. Other
existing program partners include fuel-cell manufacturer Power Cell,
high-voltage-converter specialist Fraunhofer, and aircraft-structures supplier
Heggemann, which is assisting with the hydrogen storage tanks.
Apus,
which takes its name from the Latin word for the Swift bird, exhibited a mockup of
the i-2 at last year’s Aero Friedrichshafen show in Germany.
Flight controls for it and the i-5 are conventional cables for ailerons and
rods for elevators, actuated by two side yokes on the outboard sides of the
cockpit. The landing gear is retractable and will be electro-hydraulically
actuated.
According
to Scheffel, who was formerly with German motor glider manufacturer Stemme,
Apus’s focus on the general aviation and regional airline markets is based on
its belief that these are the most attainable goals with the current state of
hydrogen propulsion capability. “The stairway to heaven [i.e. larger
zero-emissions aircraft] has a lot of steps," he commented, "and you
can’t jump over the first of these so you first have to design the basic
technology and make it reliable with the lowest amount of money and risk."
From the start, the company ruled out battery-based propulsion on the basis
that it can’t deliver the endurance and payload that it feels is necessary to
be commercially viable in an aviation context.
Apus
intends to manufacture both aircraft at its existing site in Strausberg. It
currently employs 40 people and intends to increase the payroll to 55 this year
with multiple new positions now
being advertised.
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