Airbus unveils concepts for zero-emission aircraft

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Airbus, Airbus Zero-Emission, Aviation, France, Sustainability, Toulouse, Travel, ZEROe

The blended-wing body design for up to 200 passengers.

Toulouse, France — Airbus has revealed three concepts for the world’s first zero-emission commercial aircraft, which could enter service by 2035.

Each represents a different approach to achieving zero-emission flight, Airbus said Monday.

The three concepts — all codenamed ZEROe for climate-neutral zero-emission commercial aircraft — are:

The turbofan design for up to 200 passengers.

A turbofan design (120-200 passengers) with a range of 2,000+ nautical miles, capable of operating transcontinentally and powered by a modified gas-turbine engine running on hydrogen, rather than jet fuel, through combustion. The liquid hydrogen will be stored and distributed via tanks located behind the rear pressure bulkhead.

A turboprop design  (up to 100 passengers) using a  turboprop engine instead of a turbofan, and also powered by hydrogen combustion in modified gas-turbine engines, which would be capable of traveling more than 1,000 nautical miles, making it a perfect option for short-haul trips.

A blended-wing body design (up to 200 passengers) concept in which the wings merge with the main body of the aircraft with a range similar to that of the turbofan concept. The exceptionally wide fuselage opens up multiple options for hydrogen storage and distribution, and for cabin layout.

The turbofan design for up to 100 passengers.

All of these concepts rely on hydrogen as a primary power source, an option which Airbus believes holds exceptional promise as a clean aviation fuel.

“This is a historic moment for the commercial aviation sector as a whole and we intend to play a leading role in the most important transition this industry has ever seen,” said Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury.

“I strongly believe that the use of  hydrogen, both in synthetic fuels and as a primary power source for commercial aircraft, has the potential to significantly reduce aviation’s climate impact.”

• All images are courtesy of Airbus

 

E-Fan: The plug-in plane takes off

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Airbus, Aircraft, Aviation, Business, CO2, E-Fan, Emissions, Environment, France, Le Bourget, News, Paris, Paris Air Show, Transport

The Paris Air Show doesn’t open until Monday, but one airplane is already creating a lot of buzz.

Airbus has unveiled the E-Fan, the environment-friendly plug-in plane.

The European manufacturer says it will be the world’s first series production electric plane and will open the way for a new era in air transportation that is environmentally-friendly and highly efficient.

The the E-Fan 2.0 (left) and the E-Fan 4.0.

“The E-Fan demonstrator will be followed by serial production versions – first, the two-seat E-Fan 2.0 version for basic pilot training, then by the E-Fan 4.0, a four-seat airplane for full pilot licensing and the general aviation market,“ the company says on its website.

The first flight for E-Fan 2.0 is planned for late 2017. It is expected to go into service the following year.

“It will be CO2 emissions-free and nearly silent in flight, becoming the world’s first all-electric plane certified to international civil airworthiness standards,” Airbus said.

The E-Fan 4.0 is scheduled to arrive in 2019.

“E-Fan is a crucial step on Airbus Group’s journey toward all-electric aviation,” said Detlef Muller-Wiesner, head of Airbus E-Aircraft Programmes.

Airbus subsidiary Voltair will manage the airplanes’ industrial evolution.

Images are courtesy of Airbus.

CS300 to make air show debut in Paris

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Airbus, Aircraft, Aviation, Boeing, Bombardier, Business, Canada, CS100, CS300, CSeries, Embraer, France, Le Bourget, News, Paris, Paris Air Show, Tourism, Transport, Travel

Less than four months after its maiden flight, Bombardier’s CS300 is set to make its air show debut at the world’s premier aviation event in Paris this month.

The long-delayed airplane, designed for the 100- to 149-seat, single-aisle market, is expected to enter service in late 2016.

Bombardier believes the CS300 offers the best seat-mile cost in its category and is ideal for a range of routes from short-haul to longer transcontinental markets.

Test flights for the smaller CS100, which can carry up to 125 people, began in 2013.

Certification for that aircraft is expected in the second half of this year with commercial flights starting shortly after that.

Bombardier has won 243 firm orders for the CSeries aircraft, 180 of them for the CS300.

The 51^st edition of the Paris Air Show opens on June 15. The week-long event has attracted more than 2,200 exhibitors from 45 countries including 18 from Canada.

The United States will have the biggest presence – more than 350 companies will gather at the American pavilion.

In all, 150 aircraft will be on display at the show and 40 of them will take to the skies of Le Bourget.

 “Paris Air and Space Show is a major player in the aerospace industry, and shows its richness and diversity,” says Emeric d’Arcimoles, the show’s chairman and CEO.

“More than just a showcase, the show is an extraordinary exchange tool, in which every actor of this industry finds the contacts and ideas that will help them to grow.”

Images are courtesy of Bombardier and Paris Air Show