Sustainable Regional Horizons: Lessons Across Decades of Regional Flight Leading to Multi-Disciplinary Engineering Design
Presentation Type
Short presentation 10-15 minutes
In Person or Zoom Presentation
Virtual via Zoom
Status
Invited Speaker
Organization, if requesting a table
AURA AERO
Presentation Description/Abstract
For decades, 19-seater regional aircraft formed the backbone of regional point-to-point connectivity. However, aging commuter fleets and rising environmental impacts created an urgent need for sustainable reinvention. Addressing the conference theme, "Sustainable Horizons: Lessons Across the Decades", this presentation shows how lessons from historical regional flight directly shape AURA AERO's pragmatic strategy for low carbon mobility.
Rather than risking unproven technological leaps, AURA AERO adopts a flight-proven, incremental roadmap: scaling from the zero-emission INTEGRAL E (validating high-voltage 800V networks) to the ENBATA autonomous UAV (demonstrating power-by-wire flight controls), culminating in ERA, a 19-seater hybrid-electric transport cutting CO2 emissions by up to 50% with respect to previous generation commuters
A key lesson from past aircraft design is that hybridization cannot be an "add-on" bolted onto legacy airframes; achieving optimum energy efficiency requires an "all-in-one" multi-disciplinary integration across structures, avionics, and aerodynamics. Focusing on aerodynamic enablers, we present RANS CFD simulation campaigns analyzing integration design improvements and Distributed Electric Propulsion (DEP). By placing 8 electric motors along the wing, the propeller slipstream modifies pressure distributions, maximum lift coefficient, and induced drag compared to classic elliptical lift profiles. By optimizing the mechanical and systems integration while preserving the intrinsic aerodynamic performance of each individual element, these gains reconcile high-speed cruise efficiency with Short Take-Off and Landing (STOL down to 2,600 ft / 800 m) capabilities, fulfilling decades of regional aviation ambitions.
Keywords
Lessons Across Decades, Regional Air Mobility, Decarbonised Aviation, Hybrid-Electric Aircraft, Distributed Electric Propulsion, Incremental Strategy, CFD Simulation, Multi-Disciplinary Integration, ERA
Sustainable Regional Horizons: Lessons Across Decades of Regional Flight Leading to Multi-Disciplinary Engineering Design
For decades, 19-seater regional aircraft formed the backbone of regional point-to-point connectivity. However, aging commuter fleets and rising environmental impacts created an urgent need for sustainable reinvention. Addressing the conference theme, "Sustainable Horizons: Lessons Across the Decades", this presentation shows how lessons from historical regional flight directly shape AURA AERO's pragmatic strategy for low carbon mobility.
Rather than risking unproven technological leaps, AURA AERO adopts a flight-proven, incremental roadmap: scaling from the zero-emission INTEGRAL E (validating high-voltage 800V networks) to the ENBATA autonomous UAV (demonstrating power-by-wire flight controls), culminating in ERA, a 19-seater hybrid-electric transport cutting CO2 emissions by up to 50% with respect to previous generation commuters
A key lesson from past aircraft design is that hybridization cannot be an "add-on" bolted onto legacy airframes; achieving optimum energy efficiency requires an "all-in-one" multi-disciplinary integration across structures, avionics, and aerodynamics. Focusing on aerodynamic enablers, we present RANS CFD simulation campaigns analyzing integration design improvements and Distributed Electric Propulsion (DEP). By placing 8 electric motors along the wing, the propeller slipstream modifies pressure distributions, maximum lift coefficient, and induced drag compared to classic elliptical lift profiles. By optimizing the mechanical and systems integration while preserving the intrinsic aerodynamic performance of each individual element, these gains reconcile high-speed cruise efficiency with Short Take-Off and Landing (STOL down to 2,600 ft / 800 m) capabilities, fulfilling decades of regional aviation ambitions.