{"id":14108,"date":"2021-07-08T22:20:18","date_gmt":"2021-07-09T05:20:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cafe.foundation\/blog\/?p=14108"},"modified":"2021-07-08T22:20:18","modified_gmt":"2021-07-09T05:20:18","slug":"eviation-moves-alices-tail-to-washington","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/cafe.foundation\/blog\/eviation-moves-alices-tail-to-washington\/","title":{"rendered":"Eviation Moves Alice\u2019s Tail \u2013 to Washington"},"content":{"rendered":"

Israel\u2019s Eviation has moved its manufacturing resources to Arlington, Washington, north of Seattle.\u00a0 There, they are making an all-new version of Alice, changing its configuration from \u201cV\u201d-tailed to \u201cT\u201d-tailed and its power from tri-motor to bi-motor.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Alice over Seattle, near its new build site.\u00a0 magniX provides newly-developed twin motors<\/p><\/div>\n

The revised craft will be powered by two Magni650 power units, a package that includes a 640 kilowatt (850 shaft horsepower) motor, four magniDrive-100 inverter\/motor control units, and \u201ca closed-loop integrated thermal management system.\u201d<\/p>\n

A New Alice<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Charles Alcock<\/a>, reporting in FutureFlight.aero<\/a>, says Eviation Aircraft confirms plans to make a first test flight of the redesigned craft by year\u2019s end and have the new Alice certified and entering service in 2024.<\/p>\n

Obvious changes include a clean, high-aspect ratio wing and pylon-mounted motors flanking the \u201cT\u201d tail.\u00a0 According to Alcock\u2019s report, a company spokeswoman explained, \u201cWe moved from a V-tail to a T-tail to optimize performance and handling and make it easy and reliable for pilots to seamlessly transition to flying the aircraft.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Now considerably different from original concept, new Alice loses one motor, changes configuration completely<\/p><\/div>\n

Two crew members will fly (and probably host) the \u201cup to nine\u201d passengers on trips up to 440 nautical miles (506 statute miles or 814 kilometers) at speeds \u201cjust over\u201d 250 mph (402 kilometers per hour).\u00a0 Numbers are lower than previous specifications (748 statute mile range, 299 mph cruise), but still viable for regional flights.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/electrek.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/07\/ALICE_timeLapse_2021_x264_001.mp4<\/a><\/video><\/div>\n

The original design had an 820 kilowatt-hour battery weighing 8,200 pounds or 3,719 kilograms \u2013 60-percent of the craft\u2019s maximum takeoff weight.\u00a0 That would be only 49 percent of the current design\u2019s 16,500 pounds.\u00a0 Passengers account for 2,400 pounds in the current design and the two motors 440.9 pounds (200 kg.) each.\u00a0 That leaves 13,218 pounds for propellers, two crew members, airframe and batteries.\u00a0 Counting the loss of one motor (let\u2019s say 500 pounds with propeller), one wonders how the weight is built up in the current version.<\/p>\n

Since its original prototype was destroyed in a ground-power-unit fire at its test site in Phoenix, Arizona, Eviation has evidently been modifying its original design to the version we now see.\u00a0 It has also moved its operations to several hangars at Arlington airport in Washington State, where it\u2019s spent \u201cat least\u201d $300,000 renovating the buildings.\u00a0 Motor-maker magniX is only 14 miles away in Everett, also home to Boeing.<\/p>\n

magni650 EPU<\/strong><\/h4>\n

AIN reports, \u201cIn May, MagniX delivered the first Magni650 EPUs<\/a> to Eviation. Singapore-based Clermont Group owns the two companies.\u201d\u00a0 With Pacific-based ownership, it\u2019s interesting the two companies are united in the same aeronauticially-rich region.<\/p>\n

Airframer.com<\/em> reports,<\/a> \u201cmagniX has announced details of its magni350 and magni650 Electric Propulsion Units, the latest advancements of the company’s flight-proven EPU product offerings.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

magni650 EPU comprises dual motors, four inverter\/controllers<\/p><\/div>\n

Earlier versions have undergone thousands of hours of ground and flight testing. These latest versions are \u201coptimized for real-world commercial aviation applications to further accelerate the path to certification for electric aircraft and bring the future of electric aviation closer to reality.\u201d\u00a0 Having flown in Harbour Air\u2019s eBeaver and an eCaravan, the motors have been simplified and \u201cenhanced.\u201d<\/p>\n

The magni650 can be seen as two 350s joined to power a common nose cone propeller drive.\u00a0 The 350EPU, controlled by paired magniDrive-100 inverter\/motor controller power electronics units, is doubled in the 650EPU, with four 170 kilowatt magniDrives enabling high redundancy and the ability to maintain partial power despite loss of any unit.\u00a0 Liquid cooled the direct-drive EPUs can manage 30,000 feet in unpressurized environments.\u00a0 The front cone can accommodate a propeller governor and all standard aircraft accessories.<\/p>\n

magniX EPUs operate at 2,300 rpm or less, generating high maximum torque of 3,200 Newton-meters (2,360 foot-pounds) and nominal torque of 2,820 Nm (2,080 foot-pounds).<\/p>\n

Other Supporting Players<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Eviation’s Alice receives parts at its Arlington location from 11 different nations.\u00a0 Honeywell Aerospace provides Alice\u2019s fly-by-wire flight control system, for instance.<\/p>\n

Other key program partners announced so far include Honeywell Aerospace, which is providing the Alice\u2019s fly-by-wire flight control system, and aerostructures group GKN Aerospace. \u00a0On June 3, GKN said that it has delivered the first fully integrated wings, empennage, and electrical wiring interconnection systems for the aircraft from its facility at Bristol in the UK.\u00a0 Perhaps manufacturing will move to Washington state also, since GKN has a site in Sumner, Washington that produces winglets for Boeing 737 Max\u2019s and parts for F-35s.<\/p>\n

Summing Up<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Roei Ganzarski, CEO of magniX and Executive Chairman of Eviation, has high hopes for his products. \u00a0“Based on real-world design, build and operational testing, we’re making incredible strides to push the aviation industry forward and accelerate the rate at which aircraft become electric.\u00a0 The magni350 and magni650 EPUs enable affordable, emission-free and quieter flights to communities around the world in the very near future.”<\/p>\n

Eviation CEO Omer Bar-Yohay is equally enthusiastic.\u00a0 \u201cSharing our production Alice design is a special day for Eviation and our partners. Electric aviation will continue to open up new possibilities for affordable, sustainable regional travel around the world. Alice is poised to turn that possibility into a reality soon.\u201d<\/p>\n