Bye Aerospace’s eFlyer2 demonstrator enters next stage of flight testing
Bye Aerospace has begun the next phase of its flight test programme for its two-seater, all-electric eFlyer 2 demonstrator.
Company CEO, George E. Bye, has said the flight test programme will be focused on collecting flight envelope engineering data for the three propellers being considered for the FAA-certified production version of eFlyer 2.
The criteria for selecting the confidential propeller finalists included the propeller’s light-weight requirement along with its aerodynamic design evaluated against the eFlyer 2’s flight training mission.
“Data from these flight tests will help our engineering team determine the most efficient propeller that will maximise the overall efficiency for the typical flight training syllabus requirement,” Bye said.
“The prototype Rolls Royce electric motor currently on the eFlyer 2 technology demonstrator has varying torque and a large RPM range with a relatively small size and cross-section compared to a conventional internal combustion engine.
“Therefore, more of the propeller length is available to provide thrust across a broad range of RPM. So we will be conducting flight tests with the various propellers over the summer against these beneficial and unique electric propulsion criteria.”
The Colorado-based manufacturer has also said it has completed its recent Critical Design Review for the aircraft on 5th June, representing a significant milestone in the FAA Part-23 certification process.
Its family of eFlyer aircraft, which also includes the four-seat eFlyer 4, aims to be the first FAA Part 23-certified, practical, all-electric airplanes to serve the flight training, air taxi and general aviation markets.
More than 330 eFlyer purchase reservations have already been placed for the eFlyer2, with customers including air taxi start-up QuantumXYZ. The company signed an agreement back in August 2019 for a fleet of 22 four-seater eFlyers and two two-seat eFlyers, which it says will be used as a service in Los Angeles to link passengers travelling between LAX and the city.
Bye added: “The Covid-19 pandemic has forced Bye Aerospace to communicate and collaborate remotely like everyone else, but we have continued to move forward in our certification process as safely, economically, and efficiently as possible.
“During this series of flight tests in particular, we are closely managing the number of participants to observe social distancing and other recommended safety practices. I am extremely proud of our team and grateful for their passion for these programmes.”
