Sun, Aug 01, 2021
Contract Will Develop And Validate Computational Models For Ultra-STOL
NASA has signed a contract with Electra.aero to mature enabling aerodynamic "blown lift" technologies for electric ultra-short takeoff and landing (eSTOL) aircraft in advanced air mobility applications.
Electra teamed with Dr. Alejandra Uranga, Gabilan Assistant Professor at the University of Southern California's (USC) Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering and was awarded a contract under the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program.
Electra is developing electric aircraft that can take off and land in less than 150 feet. "This really pushes today's aerodynamic technology to its limits," says Ben Marchionna, Electra's Director of Technology and Innovation. "Effective blown lift aircraft concepts require every tool in an aerospace engineer's toolbox: computational fluid dynamics (CFD), wind tunnel models, and flying testbeds."
"Even the best CFD-based blown lift and distributed electric propulsion models today lack validation against full-scale vehicles for these unique configurations," adds Professor Uranga. "Current computational methods can predict some limited blown lift flow fields in three dimensions, but the large eSTOL design space compared to conventional aircraft means that fast, trusted, low-order methods are needed to rapidly evaluate design choices. This contract will help us develop those methods."
In 2022, Electra plans to begin flight testing a full-scale hybrid eSTOL tech demonstrator aircraft which will carry two people, take off and land in distances under 150 feet, and use a 150-kW hybrid-electric turbogenerator to power eight electric motors and charge a custom battery system during flight.
Electra's first commercial product, with FAA certification planned in 2026, is designed to carry up to seven passengers and a pilot as far as 500 miles. It will serve urban and regional air mobility markets, sustainability-focused airline operations, "middle mile" cargo logistics, and air ambulance services.
More News
'SG Investment America' Leads Small List Of Suitors News, Analysis and Opinion by ANN Editor-In-Chief, Jim Campbell The long, embarrassing saga of Icon Aircraft is entering a new c>[...]
Congressional Caucus Quickly Finds Fans in Business Aviation Community A dozen international Av-Biz stakeholders have responded to the establishment of the Congressional Sustainabl>[...]
Future Operations to Sport End-to-End Internet Connectivity Throughout the Trip Volato has opted to go with SmartSky for its future inflight connectivity needs, selecting the Smart>[...]
An Amazing Experience Awaits The Chosen Few... Oshkosh, to us, seems the perfect place to get started on watching aviation recover the past couple of years... and so ANN is putting>[...]
Charter Operator Promises to Convert 4 of its Grand Caravans to Surf's Electric Propulsion Surf Air Mobility inked a memorandum of understanding with a Brazilian Caravan operator t>[...]
Icon Aircraft Bankruptcy Chooses A 'Winner' -- Appears to Be Chinese Ownership
See All