Leeham News and Analysis
There's more to real news than a news release.
Leeham News and Analysis
- Solid start for stand-alone GE Aerospace despite cuts to LEAP output April 23, 2024
- SPEEA, Boeing at impasse over safety program, union says April 23, 2024
- Better transparency needed on Boeing’s 1Q earnings call April 22, 2024
- Bjorn’s Corner: New engine development. Part 4. Propulsive efficiency April 19, 2024
- Boeing unlikely to meet FAA’s 90-day deadline for new safety program April 18, 2024
Bjorn’s Corner: Sustainable Air Transport. Part 49P. eVTOL production costs. The deeper discussion.
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By Bjorn Fehrm
December 9, 2022, ©. Leeham News: This is a complementary article to Part 49, eVTOL production costs. It discusses the typical production costs of a certified eVTOL when produced in large quantities.
eVTOLs will be produced under aeronautical production certification conditions, using aeronautical grade material and system. Our production cost model predicts such costs, including learning curve effects for each material type.
Bjorn’s Corner: Sustainable Air Transport. Part 48. eVTOL traffic management
December 2, 2022, ©. Leeham News: Last week, we started looking at the air traffic problem of eVTOLs. The rulemaking on how these shall avoid running into each other, other aircraft, and drones outside controlled airspace is not done.
The first general principle has been issued by European rule-makers dealing with how drone traffic shall be regulated, and this will also be expanded to cover VTOLs. Airbus, the world’s largest vertical transport supplier, through its helicopters, gave its view on VTOL operations in its two-day Summit this week.
Figure 1. CityAirbus NG. Source: Airbus.
Bjorn’s Corner: Sustainable Air Transport. Part 47. eVTOL traffic
By Bjorn Fehrm
November 25, 2022, ©. Leeham News: We have gone through the flight principles for different eVTOLs, the critical systems such as battery systems and flight controls, their energy consumption/performance, and how green they are compared to other ways of getting to an airport.
This is all about the flying vehicle. But it’s only part of the system needed for this transport system to work and be safe. We now discuss the other bits needed.
Figure 1. The JFK, Newark, and Manhattan airspace. Click for a detailed view. Source: Foreflight.
Bjorn’s Corner: Sustainable Air Transport. Part 46. eVTOL comparison with helicopter
By Bjorn Fehrm
November 18, 2022, ©. Leeham News: In the comments to last week’s Corner, there were requests for a comparison with a helicopter re. Sustainability (kWh/km). Here you go.
I also threw in a cost of operations discussion, as the helicopter is the present alternative to an eVTOL for city-to-airport air transports.
Figure 1. The Robinson R66 five-seat helicopter. Source: Wikipedia.
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Bjorn’s Corner: Sustainable Air Transport. Part 45. eVTOL, how green?
By Bjorn Fehrm
November 11, 2022, ©. Leeham News: We have spent some 50 articles going through the new air transport category, eVTOL, or electrically propelled Vertical TakeOff and Landing vehicles.
They promise to replace the helicopter for local air transport above congested cities and highways.
The question is now: How do eVTOLs fit in sustainable air transport? Are they a green way of starting a flight journey, and how does it compare to alternative transports?
Figure 1. The World’s energy consumption and sources. Source: World in Data and BP.
Bjorn’s Corner: Sustainable Air Transport. Part 44. eVTOL operating costs.
By Bjorn Fehrm.
November 4, 2022, ©. Leeham News: This is a summary of the article Part 44P, eVTOL operating costs. It discusses the operational costs of a typical eVTOL flying a feeder mission from a city center to an airport.
The dominant cost factors are not the ones eVTOL companies love to discuss, like the electricity bills.
Figure 1. The Vertical Aerospace VX4 in an early rendering with similar looks to the eVTOL we discuss. Source: Vertical Aerospace.
Bjorn’s Corner: Sustainable Air Transport. Part 44P. eVTOL operating costs. The deeper discussion.
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By Bjorn Fehrm
November 4, 2022, ©. Leeham News: This is a complementary article to Part 44, eVTOL operating costs. It discusses the typical operating costs we can expect from an eVTOL when used in an air taxi operation.
Despite the operation of such transports being years off, an eVTOL has dominant cost factors that can be estimated today.
Bjorn’s Corner: Sustainable Air Transport. Part 43. eVTOL IFR range.
By Bjorn Fehrm
October 28, 2022, ©. Leeham News: This is a summary of the article Part 43P, eVTOL IFR range. It discusses the range of a typical eVTOL flying a feeder mission from a city center to an airport during IFR conditions.
IFR conditions mean we have a dicey weather forecast for our airport destination and must plan with an alternate landing site where the weather forecast is better.
Figure 1. The Vertical Aerospace VX4 in an early rendering with similar looks to the eVTOL we discuss. Source: Vertical Aerospace.
Bjorn’s Corner: Sustainable Air Transport. Part 43P. eVTOL IFR range. The deeper discussion.
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October 28, 2022, ©. Leeham News: This is a complementary article to Part 43, eVTOL IFR range. It discusses the typical maximum range we can expect from a certified eVTOL when it faces IFR weather conditions.
Flying in IFR conditions requires flight planning with increased reserves if the eVTOL can’t land at the destination airport and must divert to an alternate airport.
Bjorn’s Corner: Sustainable Air Transport. Part 42P. eVTOL mission range. The deeper discussion.
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October 21, 2022, ©. Leeham News: This is a complementary article to Part 42, eVTOL mission range. It discusses the typical maximum range we can expect from a certified eVTOL by mid-decade.
We have described the vehicle and the mission data in the three previous Corners; now, we analyze the energy consumption for the mission and discuss the range we can achieve.