Five seat Electric Jet prototype first flight

[Phil Perry]

This was originally designed as an Air Taxi. . .

 

 

[turboplanner]

Very impressive, not only in the design but in their outlook.

 

Shows mankind is far from finished with harnessing conventional physics.

 

James Dyson has also been doing outstanding work with air manipulation in the field of home appliances.

 

Makes a pleasant change from the announcement of NEW electric cars (actually invented in 1828) with radiator grilles and IC engine bays, electric trucks again with radiator grilles, and cab heights required to clear 14 litre IC engines with double turbochargers, and autonomous trucks with cabs with windscreens.

 

 

[old man emu]

[/url]https://lilium.com/

 

 

[onetrack]

So, how do you get an "electric jet"?? I was under the impression lift or propulsion either came from electric motors driving props or ducted fans, or from jet engines that burn fuel compressed between turbines and compressors.

 

But an "electric jet" has to be a total misdescription, unless it actually has a jet engine power principle, in the design?

 

From what I can see of the design, it simply utilises electric motors driving ducted fans. It's a bit of a misnomer to call this design an "electric jet".

 

Just looking at the design I can immediately see some major design weakness in the hinged arrangement for the motors - a-la F-111 swing-wing boxes - and we all know how bad the calculations were, there.

 

 

[turboplanner]

So, how do you get an "electric jet"?? I was under the impression lift or propulsion either came from electric motors driving props or ducted fans, or from jet engines that burn fuel compressed between turbines and compressors.

 

But an "electric jet" has to be a total misdescription, unless it actually has a jet engine power principle, in the design?

I don't know, but there is such a thing as a jet of air and a jetstream, so I took it to mean that electric motors were driving fans which produced jets of air in the direction and strengths needed.

 

 

[octave]

So, how do you get an "electric jet"?? I was under the impression lift or propulsion either came from electric motors driving props or ducted fans, or from jet engines that burn fuel compressed between turbines and compressors.

 

But an "electric jet" has to be a total misdescription, unless it actually has a jet engine power principle, in the design?

Perhaps the term jet is used in a way similar to jet boat engine but with air. The term jet probably has a wider meaning than just a liquid fuel burning turbine engine.

 

WaterJet Overview

 

 

[old man emu]

Etymology

 

Borrowed from French jet (“spurt”, literally “a throw”), from Old French get, giet, from Vulgar Latin *iectus, jectus, from Latin iactus (“a throwing, a throw”), from iacere (“to throw”).

 

So it's the throwing out of something. To say that it only refers to a type of engine is to restrict the meaning of the word.

 

 

[facthunter]

To be true to that description it has to be a plasma engine which is suitable for low thrust continuous work in a vacuum.(SPACE) they already exist. Nev

 

 

[Phil Perry]

So, how do you get an "electric jet"?? I was under the impression lift or propulsion either came from electric motors driving props or ducted fans, or from jet engines that burn fuel compressed between turbines and compressors.

 

But an "electric jet" has to be a total misdescription, unless it actually has a jet engine power principle, in the design?

 

From what I can see of the design, it simply utilises electric motors driving ducted fans. It's a bit of a misnomer to call this design an "electric jet".

 

Just looking at the design I can immediately see some major design weakness in the hinged arrangement for the motors - a-la F-111 swing-wing boxes - and we all know how bad the calculations were, there.

I agree entirely Sir,. . using the word 'JET' must be a misnomer, since jets require Hydrocarbon based fuel to work as a 'JET' engine.

 

With the application of Devil's Advocate here,. . what happens if the software has a hiccup, ie, is there a failsafe Ballistic parachute to save the 'Taxi' passengers in that event ?. . . for as we all know,.. . Software never goes wrong. . .. does it. . .

 

 

[turboplanner]

I agree entirely Sir,. . using the word 'JET' must be a misnomer, since jets require Hydrocarbon based fuel to work as a 'JET' engine.

 

With the application of Devil's Advocate here,. . what happens if the software has a hiccup, ie, is there a failsafe Ballistic parachute to save the 'Taxi' passengers in that event ?. . . for as we all know,.. . Software never goes wrong. . .. does it. . .

The same question applies for drones with multiple props; mine dives straight for the ground if a prop goes out, some have enough capacity in the other motors to compensate, but there's no denying that these newer concepts become instant rocks. The ballistic chute is working well for some light aircraft.

 

 

[facthunter]

It would be feasible to have a pressured plenum with variable jets (vents) providing thrust and (wing) lift augmenting flows of air. This could be powered by an IC or any kind of engine. A design I've been trying to get off the ground for years is such a concept.. I've mentioned it before (years ago) on this forum. The critical factor is efficiency which should be able to be assessed without actually building the whole thing. Nev

 

 

[onetrack]

Facthunter, your idea of variable vents/nozzles is workable, I understand the F-35 utilises the concept. However, it would appear to require a lot more power (thrust) than what simple electric-motor-driven ducted fans can produce.

 

[/url]https://aviation.stackexchange.com/questions/59848/how-does-the-f-35b-not-flip-over-during-transition

 

 

[pmccarthy]

A workshop compressed air gun uses a Venturi to draw in outside air and produce a lot stronger jet than the compressed air alone. It trades pressure for volume while maintaining sufficient pressure to get the job done. Could this approach provide more thrust from a ducted electric fan? I know big jet engines do similar.

 

 

[Frankus1aust]

I'm guessing a series of ducted electric fans accelerating cold air over the wing could also add to lift.