The Electra EL-2 Goldfinch is a technology demonstrator developed by American startup Electra.aero. The EL-2 is a hybrid electric aircraft with distributed propulsion for short takeoff and landing (STOL).
| EL-2 Goldfinch | |
|---|---|
| |
| Example aircraft from an Electra patent with a similar configuration | |
| Role | Hybrid electric aircraft, STOL |
| Manufacturer | Electra.aero |
| First flight | November 11, 2023[1] |
Development
editElectra creator John Langford founded Aurora Flight Sciences in 1989, sold to Boeing in 2017.[2]
The first test flight happened on November 11, 2023, all-electric powered, from Manassas Regional Airport in Virginia.[3] On November 17, it flew again for 23 minutes, powered by its hybrid-electric drivetrain, reaching 3,200 ft (980 m).[3] Electra.aero wants to develop a nine passenger-aircraft (or 2,500 lb (1,100 kg) of cargo) capable of operating from an area soccer field-sized with a 150 ft (46 m) ground roll, for a 500 mi (800 km) range. The company aims to fly a full-scale prototype in 2026, then a certification test aircraft targeted for a 2028 introduction.[3]
By late April 2024, the demonstrator had flown for over 10 hours and had achieved 150 ft (46 m) landings and 175 ft (53 m) takeoffs.[2] Its longest flight exceeded 1.5 hrs, its highest altitude reached was 6,500 ft (2,000 m), and its lowest speed achieved is 25 kn (46 km/h).[2] Electra.aero envisions a 200-seat turboelectric airliner for 2040, for which it has submitted a proposal for the NASA Advanced Aircraft Concepts for Environmental Sustainability.[2]
Electra.aero uses a hybrid powertrain as lithium-ion batteries pack not enough energy, only 170 Wh/kg in the Pipistrel Velis Electro in 2020, approaching 235 Wh/kg at the pack level for 2025.[2] The Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) has launched the Propel-1K program to demonstrate a 1,000 Wh/kg (1,600 kJ/lb) cell by mid-2025.[2]
Design
editThe Goldfinch has a turbogenerator in the nose for hybrid propulsion and battery packs under the floor for all-electric operation.[3] It has a two-person cockpit and a gross weight of 3,100 lb (1,400 kg).[3] To take off at 30–35 kn (56–65 km/h), it has a blown-lift wing, generating a pitching moment balanced by a large T-tail.[3] It has a modified Cessna 172 wing, and its 150 kW (200 hp) powertrain employs a helicopter auxiliary power unit while its battery packs handle peak power.[2]
Specifications
editData from Aviation Week[3]
General characteristics
- Crew: 1-2
- Gross weight: 3,100 lb (1,406 kg)
- Fuel capacity: fuel + battery packs
- Powerplant: 1 × turbogenerator , 200 hp (150[4] kW)
Performance
- Minimum control speed: 25 kn (29 mph, 46 km/h)
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Electra Completes World's First Hybrid-Electric eSTOL Aircraft Flight" (Press release). Electra. November 20, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Starting small, thinking big" (PDF). Aviation Week. May 16, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Ben Goldstein (November 21, 2023). "Electra.aero Completes First Flights With Hybrid eSTOL Demonstrator". Aviation Week.
- ^ "Electra Unveils Full-Scale Technology Demonstrator Aircraft to Begin Flight Testing its Proprietary eSTOL Technology" (Press release). Electra. June 12, 2023.