Revolutionary electric plane technology that can be used for new build aircraft as well as to convert existing non-electric turboprops into fully electric aircraft.

Project Information

TailWind

Grant agreement ID: 867709

DOI

10.3030/867709

Project closed

EC signature date 11 May 2019

Start date 1 June 2019

End date 30 September 2019

Funded under

• INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Innovation In SMEs

Total cost

€ 71 429,00

EU contribution

€ 50 000,00

Coordinated by

AMPAIRE LTD
United Kingdom

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - TailWind (Revolutionary electric plane technology that can be used for new build aircraft as well as to convert existing non-electric turboprops into fully electric aircraft.)

Reporting period: 2019-06-01 to 2019-09-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Operators of short haul regional flights face several challenges namely, high operating costs as well as increasing demand for some flight routes. There is also the new movement/concept of ‘flight shame’ where people are encouraged to fly less overall, which is negatively impacting the market of short haul regional flights. However, it can’t be denied there is an ever increasing demand for air transport, linked to consumers demands such as efficiency (time) as well as the lack of accessibility to some towns or regional cities. Not only that, there are some routes in Europe which are public service obligations (PSOs), specifically flight routes that are crucial to the economic development of the region. The benefits of air travel are many and an often overlooked one is the reduction of natural land cover impact as air travel allows for increased connectivity with less dividing infrastructure. Overall, Air transport is a necessity in many places such as islands or fjords. However, currently, the global flight mobility system contributes greatly to long-term damage to our environment. Therefore, it is now crucial to transform air transportation. Specifically, to face these challenges, aircraft technology, use and design must evolve to use less fossil fuels and move towards the electrification of aircraft fleets.
In line with this need, Ampaire is developing the initial concepts and architecture which can be the basis for larger electric planes such as new build electric Aircraft (such as the TailWind), which will look revolutionary and is expected by 2028. However, the environmental and cost issues currently linked to the Aviation industry need to be mitigated urgently. Therefore, Ampaire chose a pragmatic approach to first develop and sell a hybrid plug in aircraft, the Ampaire’s 337 retrofit called the EEL-D (D for Diesel). The Ampaire 337 EEL-D is a stepping stone to fully electric aircraft. It will have lower running costs as electric/hybrid aircraft cuts direct fuel by 50-75% and is capable of running on biofuel which means it can run on 100% renewable energy. The overall airline operating costs can be reduced by up to 25% by switching to Ampaire’s electric powertrain, a significant improvement to the bottom line for airline companies.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

During the feasibility assessment, Ampaire completed a full analysis of the technical and business potential of Ampaire 337 EEL-D. During the project, Ampaire gained crucial information based on ongoing meetings and discussions with their customer network and stakeholders that will contribute to the commercial success of Ampaire 337 EEL-D. Ampaire also received valuable advice from the Business Development Coach appointed to Ampaire under the EIC for Phase 1. This supported the sharing of the Feasibility study. Ampaire contacted several stakeholders in the aviation industry and relevant research fields. Potential customers and investors have also been contacted including several government departments (UK, Norway, Malta and The Czech Republic). Ampaire expanded their knowledge on market and different customer segments. A sound business model and commercialisation strategy was established for the anticipated market launch. Ampaire assessed their go-to-market customer segment for the main target users for the Ampaire’s 337 EEL-D. Ampaire looked at their needs, financial capacity and willingness to pay for this solution to determine the optimal business model (the sale of the entire aircraft as an upfront unit) that would be most attractive to customers whilst maximizing revenue for Ampaire.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

During the feasibility study, it became clear that successful demonstrations would consolidate Ampaire’s position in the industry and lead to greater profitability and bankability. In subsequent years, following successful launch of Ampaire 337 EEL-D, it is Ampaire’s mission to produce larger aircraft namely a larger hybrid-electric aircraft aimed at more regular commercial operations (example 19 passenger aircraft). To do this, the lessons learned from the development of Ampaire 337 EEL-D will directly inform risk reduction and cost minimization strategies.
Overall, Ampaire, with this project, will be placed within the European aviation industry, with a customer-centric approach, which gives Ampaire a unique edge over companies. When new-build designs begin to enter the market, Ampaire’s customers will have thousands of flight hours already on the Ampaire system via the use of the hybrid planes (such as Ampaire 337 EEL-D). This familiarity and trust will continue to make Ampaire the preferred provider of electrified aircraft. The emission reduction and cost reduction of a fully electric plan is between 70%-95%. This vision is revolutionary and will greatly impact climate change linked to the current aviation industry. With the current retrofitting model, Ampaire is addressing both economic and social need much sooner, than many of their competitors.

Maiden flight of Ampaire EEL 337