As is the case with cars, pure-electric aircraft may be the greenest way to go, but fuel/electric hybrids have a considerably longer range. Brazilian company Desaer's ATL-100H will be just such a plane, utilizing both turboprop engines and electric motors.
The ATL-100H is based on the design of Desaer's non-electric ATL-100, which features a cabin that can be configured for either cargo or passengers. In the latter setup, it can seat 19 passengers plus two crew members.
But while the ATL-100 has just two 1,000-shaft-horsepower turboprop engines – one located on the inboard end of each wing – the ATL-100H adds two of magniX's magni350 electric propulsion units to the outboard ends of the wings. Each of those 111.5-kg (246-lb) units incorporates a 350-kW electric motor that puts out 1,610 Nm (1,188 ft lb) of maximum continuous torque.
We're told that the motors will provide most of the thrust while taking off and climbing, allowing the engines to operate at a lower fuel consumption rate during that power-hungry phase of the flight. The engines will provide more thrust once the aircraft reaches its cruising altitude, although on shorter-range trips the motors will still help out in that phase, too. For longer flights, the two engines are capable of providing all of the required cruising power on their own.
Although no range figures have been provided at this point, magniX has stated that depending on the distance, the addition of the electric motors should allow the aircraft to use 25 to 40 percent less fuel than if it were solely turboprop-powered. The motors should also greatly reduce engine noise on take-offs, and reduce maintenance requirements.
There's presently no word on when the Desaer ATL-100H will reach production.
Source: magniX