global briefing
landings, where it will operate in all-electric mode to
reduce emissions. Batteries in the wings will provide
electrical power.
For the aft-mounted hybrid power module, its
electric motors and rear propeller will provide the
“push” during cruise, with electrical power coming
from the batteries installed in the nose fairing. The
power module’s thermal motor will serve to recharge
all of the aircraft’s batteries.
The final version of the Cassio will weigh 2.5 tons
to qualify for EASA’s CS-23 certification, will have a
cruising speed of 200 knots, faster than aircraft made
by direct competitors such as Cirrus and Cessna and
a range of 800km. It will use 600kW of power and
produce 20% less emissions than similar aircraft.
“The hybrid configuration means if there is a big
issue with the electric side you can still land safely.
10 DECEMBER 2019 \\ AEROSPACETESTINGINTERNATIONAL.COM
// The design bureau at the company’s
Aérodrome de Royan-Médis HQ in France
We also want to stay in the kilowatt range for battery
power. Certification in the MW range will take much
longer,” he said
VoltAero plans to have started production of the
final aircraft by the “start of 2023” and to be
producing around 150 aircraft a year by 2025.
VoltAero is targeting the general and business
aviation market with Cassio. The aircraft will require a
maximum 1,800ft. runway length for takeoff, opening
up the possibility of using it at smaller airports. “I am
convinced this is the future of general aviation. The
lower cost of ownership and the business case work
really well. We need to better use the small airport
infrastructures. Most of them are idle,” said Botti.\\
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I am convinced this is the future
of general aviation – the business
case works really well
Versatile electric
motors to enable
electric flight
VoltAero is partnering with a number of suppliers to
help develop the Cassio 1, including Safran Electrical &
Power, which is supplying two EngineUS 45 motors for
the aircraft.
The two motors deliver a continuous power each of
45 kW (70kW maximum).
The motor has already been flight tested several
times. Florent Nierlich, head of R&T programs power
division, Safran Electrical and Power said, “We learnt
a lot during the tests. There has also been extensive
ground testing to achieve a deep characterisation of
the product. We’ve been happy with its performance,
it’s met expectations.”
“We are in the early stages of electrification and it
is good to do as many flight tests as possible. Each
gives us valuable data about the motor’s performance
in different conditions, airspeed and temperatures.”
Nierlich said that improving battery energy density
is a key short-term technical challenge that must be
addressed for the widespread electrification of
aviation, but believes that some batteries are good
enough for a few early applications.
Furthermore, he believes energy density will
improve thanks to the push from the automotive
industry. “We are focusing on the packaging and the
management system of the battery, which has to be
very different for aerospace applications compared to
automotive,” said Nierlich.“For us the main challenges
are in the electrical protections and the integration of
the controller with the electrical motor.
“We are embedding the motor controller in the
motor housing to create an integrated drive system,
ensuring there is adequate electrical protection.”
Safran is taking a flexible and scalable approach to
electrification. “We are preparing the technology and
its industrialization – achieving the right
level of readiness. We believe the
market could be massive,”
“EngineUS is flexible, an
electrical motor that can be
used on various aircraft,
including helicopters and in
hybrid configurations,” Nierlich added.
// The iron bird has
validated the hybrid
electric propulsion
system for the Cassio 1
flight testbed aircraft
// Technical Director Didier Esteyne
prepares an EngineUS 45 motor for
its fit-check on the Cassio 1 flight
test aircraft
/AEROSPACETESTINGINTERNATIONAL.COM
/AerospaceTestingInternational.com