Such as Electric aircraft, the short haul to conquer

The electrification is supposed to usher in a new Era in air travel. Engine manufacturer Magnix and aircraft manufacturers Eviation want to get involved. What you can and what not.

Roei Ganzarski is in front of a map of the world, many Short point-to-point Connections are shown. So about Brussels – Berlin with 652 kilometres or Zurich – nice, with 417 kilometres. On such routes, he wants to see in the future, aircraft with electric drive in use. "In 15 years, all of the point to be flown-to-point short-haul flights under 1600 miles electric," predicts the head of the electric actuator's manufacturer Magnix in conversation with aeroTELEGRAPH. His company wants to help to achieve that.

For November Magnix is planning to 560 Kilowatt electric motor Magni 500 for the first time on a DHC-2 Beaver takeoff can. Then a Cessna 208 Caravan to follow. The company hopes for the Magni 500 and the smaller Magni-250 with a 280 kW on a certification until the end of 2021. Then Harbour Air, North America's largest Water-based carrier in the canadian province of British Columbia wants to change over their entire fleet with the Magnix engines to electric drive. This DHC-3 Otter, DHC-6 Twin Otter, DHC-2 Beaver and Cessna Grand Caravan EX.

Eviation Alice is supposed to be starting in 2022 approved

In addition, Magnix would like to equip the Eviation Alice with three Magni 250. The aircraft of the Israeli company Eviation was seen at the air show of Le Bourget in June in a flight-enabled Version. The machine, which have a capacity of nine pass and a range of more than 1000 kilometers, is said to have presented with Cape Air currently their only customer. The U.S. regional airline, has secured a purchase option. Eviation is hoping to be able to aircraft from the year 2022 to deliver.

The list price of the aircraft is expected to be around 4 million dollars. Eviation-in-chief Omer Bar-Yohay said in Paris, worldwide, around 40,000 pilots of the size of the Alice were in operation, and many of them were already old. Therefore, he see a need for. In addition, the electric will fly the cost press, and as a result, new routes and new demand creation.

Retrofits easier, but …

The Alice customers can choose between engines from Magnix and Siemens, said Bar-Yohay. Rolls-Royce has recently announced to take over Siemens’ division for electrical aircraft drives. The renowned engine manufacturers stated that they wanted to play a significant role in the electrification, which you see as a "third Era" of air travel after reciprocating engines and gas turbines. Rolls-Royce looks for the time being, in Hybrid propulsion systems for regional aircraft, the greatest potential.

Magnix-chief Ganzarski is shown by the competitors are not intimidated. "There is enough for everyone," he says. In addition, he can see by Rolls-Royce confirmed that he was on the right path. Magnix will provide for Retrofits, the retrofit of existing aircraft and drives on electric motors. The reach of a Beaver or Caravan will be limited but with today's batteries and the Magni 500 first to around 160 km plus Reserve.

Also batteries need raw materials

The reason: "You have to install the batteries, since, where, place, because the aircraft is not designed for this," said Ganzarski. The Retrofit is much faster and easier to implement than the development and certification of a completely new aircraft. Such a, such as the Eviation Alice, on the Other hand is set perfectly on the electric drive and batteries, and brings it to a much greater range.

Ganzarski promises to customers through its engines for 60 to 80 percent less cost than the current drives. So he wants to allow airlines to fly new routes, add up to date financially. He also points out that batteries are every year more powerful. On the question of a possible shortage of raw materials in the future, he refers to new technologies, which are currently being worked on, such as Lithium-sulfur-batteries or the fuel cell.

Advantages in the mountains?

On Ganzarskis map of the Route Quito – Bogota is in the Andes of South America in. The height has no negative effect on its engines? "You have here even an advantage, because a combustion engine works on explosions Inside, and oxygen is necessary." At high altitudes the air contains less oxygen. "Such difficulties, electric motors don't have," says Ganzarski. In the case of airports with short runways in mountainous regions, it is also an advantage that in the case of electric drives immediately the full torque available.

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