Aside from the eventual day when Bye Aerospace announces that they have received FAA certification for their eFlyer 2 all-electric two-seat training aircraft, the release of details about their eFlyer 800 twin-engine turboprop-class all-electric model now in development may be the most significant news to come out of the Colorado-based company to date.
The eight-seat all-electric twin-turboprop class eFlyer 800 is being developed in response to growing demands for regional all-electric airplanes with significantly reduced operating costs, plus increased capacity and utility, the company said. The airplane’s eight-seat configuration consists of up to seven passengers and one or two pilots. Bye said target operational costs for eFlyer 800 will be about one-fifth the costs of traditional twin turboprops, with potential customers being the air taxi, cargo, regional carrier, and charter markets.
Performance estimates for the eFlyer 800 include up to 320-knot cruise speed, a 35,000 ft ceiling and 500 nm range (with 45-minute IFR reserves) at a normal cruise speed of 280 knots. Bye Aerospace and Safran Electrical & Power are currently assessing the most efficient electric powertrain for the eFlyer 800, focusing on dual ENGINeUS electric motors and a GENeUSGRID electric distribution and network protection system.
This clean-sheet, turboprop-class model introduces a suite of safety features, including dual-redundant motor windings, quad-redundant battery packs, a full airplane parachute, an option for supplemental solar power cells, and ‘in-wheel’ electric power for taxi. Additional potential features include an emergency autoland system and intelligent algorithm to ensure envelope protection.
“The eFlyer 800 is the first all-electric propulsion technology airplane that achieves twin-turboprop performance and safety with no CO2 and extremely low operating costs,” said George Bye, CEO of Bye Aerospace. “This type of remarkable economy and performance is made possible by the electric propulsion system and advanced battery cell technology that results in significantly higher energy densities.”
The collaboration between Bye Aerospace and Safran Electrical & Power on eFlyer 2 and 4 continues with eFlyer 800. Hervé Blanc, executive vice president and general manager, power with Safran Electrical & Power said the company’s ENGINeUS motors rated from 50kW to 500kW/1MW and GENeUSGRID systems perfectly fit with the Bye Aerospace portfolio of e-aircraft. Blanc indicated that the best expertise from Safran’s 11,500 employees spread across 13 different countries will be utilized to support Bye Aerospace in the design of the new eFlyer 800.
Bye Aerospace said eFlyer 800 deposit agreements are complete or being developed with U.S. and European customers. “We are launching the eFlyer 800 program in response to a significant level of interest and opportunity from air taxi, air cargo, regional and charter aircraft markets around the world,” Bye said. “The legacy aircraft in this market have been solid performers, but those paving the way for aviation’s future are looking for the remarkable benefits of cleaner, more efficient, low ops-cost all-electric aircraft.”
Bye Aerospace is in the process of obtaining FAA Part 23 certification for the eFlyer 2 for the flight training market, and the four-seat eFlyer 4 for air taxi, cargo, and advanced training uses. With as much as five times lower operating costs, no CO2 emissions, and decreased noise, the company estimates the eFlyer 2 and 4 will eventually eliminate the release of millions of metric tons of CO2 each year as deliveries begin and the general aviation fleet is replaced.
