Zunum Aero has chosen a new turbine engine from Safran Helicopter Engines to drive the electrical generator in the hybrid-to-electric commercial aircraft it expects to reach the market in the early 2020s, the Washington state-based venture announced Thursday. Internally dubbed the ZA10, the 12-seat hybrid aircraft capable of flying to a range of 700 miles would derive its power from two sources: propulsion batteries and a Safran turboshaft engine rated from between 1,700 and 2,000 shaft horsepower.
The new engine model, the Ardiden 3Z, will couple with an electric generator; the resulting integrated turbo-generator will deliver 500 kW of electric power to supplement the battery packs on key stages of flight and over long ranges. Zunum says that upgrades such as advanced materials and integrated lifecycle management for hybrid service will “dramatically” reduce operating costs of the engine by extending the life of critical components.
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