this fuel-efficient ‘bullet’ airplane seeks to revolutionize personal air transportation


 

introducing the celera 500L 

 

american startup otto aviation introduces ‘celera 500L’, a business and utility light aircraft seeking to revolutionize the world of private air transportation. this fuel-efficient ‘bullet’ plane incorporates a single RED A03 diesel piston engine in a pusher configuration and can seat up to six passengers. with an 18–25 mpg fuel economy, $328 hourly operating costs, and a max cruise speed of 460 mph, the celera 500L is designed to outperform in every category.

this fuel-efficient 'bullet' airplane seeks to revolutionize private air transportation

all images courtesy of otto aviation

 

 

a bullet-shaped plane that burns less fuel

 

the celera 500L prototype made its debut flight in january 2018, and began performance testing in september 2019. on its official website, otto aviation has stated that the aircraft is currently in development and that 55 successful test flights have been performed. 

 

the bullet shape of the celera is designed to reduce drag drastically, by allowing the air to flow very smoothly over the surface of the aircraft. in this way, the plane requires less power to operate, meaning that it burns less fuel. the aircraft is designed as a mid-wing monoplane with a single five-blade propeller in a pusher configuration. laminar flow is used for its wings, fuselage, and empennage, making for a fuel-efficient vessel that provides smooth rides in the skies. its better fuel economy should lead to a low operating cost of $328 hourly, while a comparable jet aircraft costs $2,100 per hour. superior comfort is ensured through the plane’s spacious cabin, which is about 6’2” (180 cm) tall and accommodates six first-class equivalent seats coming in customizable configurations. 

this fuel-efficient 'bullet' airplane seeks to revolutionize private air transportation

 

 

low drag and high efficiency 

 

the celera 500L is designed for transcontinental range with operating costs equal to or better than commercial airline ticket pricing on a per passenger basis. these criteria require extremely low drag across the entire aircraft with a highly fuel-efficient propulsion system. to achieve this, extensive use of laminar shapes was used for the wings, fuselage, and tail sections.

 

the aircraft’s twin-stage turbocharging configuration allows for a 40,000–50,000 ft (12,000–15,000 m) cruise altitude, and full laminar flow can be achieved for an estimated 59% lower drag than competitors. the plane is able to reach a cruise speed of over 400 kn (740 km/h) and as contamination can disrupt laminar flow, performance should be certified with turbulent flow, with a less than 4,500 nmi (8,300 km) guaranteed range. the 4,500 nautical mile range means the aircraft can service virtually any city pair in the U.S. without refueling.

this fuel-efficient 'bullet' airplane seeks to revolutionize private air transportation

this fuel-efficient 'bullet' airplane seeks to revolutionize private air transportation

 

 

project info:

 

name: celera 500L 
company: otto aviation

 

myrto katsikopoulou I designboom

feb 03, 2022



Source link

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *