Charles Alcock is managing editor of the AIN Media Group, having rejoined the company in 2019. He has been an aviation journalist since 1986, and previously worked for AIN from 1990 to 2017, most recently as editor-in-chief. His main focus is on covering new aviation technology and business models, as well as international news.
Having been raised in the London area, Alcock studied at the University of Manchester in the UK and earned an honors degree in Politics and Modern History. He speaks English and French, and some German.

Managing Editor

Australia’s Kite Magnetics has introduced its 120-kilowatt&nbsp;electric propulsion unit (EPU), which is intended for electric aviation applications that could include conventional fixed-wing aircraft, as well as eVTOL and eSTOL designs, high-altitude satellites, and wing-in-ground craft. The company plans to announce its first flight test partner in March as part of an effort to build operational data over the next 12 months.
Unveiling the KM-120 air-cooled motor at this week’s Avalon Air Show, near its headquarters in Melbourne, Kite&nbsp;said it is more powerful than a typical small car but weighs only around as much as a full suitcase. The basis for this performance is the company’s patented Aeroperm lightweight magnetic material, which was developed by the team at Monash University&nbsp;that formed the start-up five months ago. They&nbsp;began&nbsp;with a A$1.85 million ($1.2&nbsp;million) <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2022-10-03/kite-gets-funding-electric-motor-based-improved-magnetic-material">seed funding round</a> backed by venture capital groups including Investible and Breakthrough Victoria.
According to founder and CEO Richard Parsons, Kite is working to demonstrate the KM-120’s compliance with airworthiness standards under the light sport aircraft category. It also intends to achieve type certification under Part 23 general aviation rules, starting with Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority, and later with the FAA and EASA to access the U.S. and European markets.
“The KM-120 is designed to work well with both purpose-built clean-sheet aircraft and existing aircraft that are being retrofitted, irrespective of their power source—i.e., batteries of fuel cells,” Parsons told FutureFlight. “The mounting points for our electric motors are very similar to what you would find on an existing aircraft combustion engine and our motor will also work with most off-the-shelf propellers. Our goal is to have an electric motor that is as easy to integrate as any existing combustion engine on the market today.”
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 <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/futureflight/import/Kite%20Magnetics%20120%20kW%20KM-120%20Electric%20motor.jpg" width="1000" height="667" alt="Kite Magnetics' 120-kW KM-120 electric motor." title="Kite Magnetics says its electric motors use its proprietary lightweight Aeroperm magnetic materials to deliver improved energy efficiency. (Image: Kite Magnetics)">

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<div class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blockmediaimagefield-caption">
 
 
 
 <div class="field field--name-field-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Kite Magnetics says its electric motors use its proprietary lightweight Aeroperm magnetic materials to deliver improved energy efficiency. (Image: Kite Magnetics)</div>
 
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<figcaption>Kite Magnetics says its electric motors use its proprietary lightweight Aeroperm magnetic materials to deliver improved energy efficiency. (Image: Kite Magnetics)</figcaption>
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Kite is already taking orders for the new EPU, which is offered as a stand-alone motor to be integrated by customers with their own hardware, or as part of a complete powertrain that would also include propellers, matched inverters, and a vehicle control unit with a flight deck display. The propellers could come with or without electrically&nbsp;actuated pitch control.
<h3 class="subheading">Nanocrystals Are Key to Greater Energy Efficiency</h3>
Aeroperm is a nanocrystalline magnetic soft material composed of nan-scale crystals within an amorphous metal matrix. According to the Kite team, it will lose energy at just one-10th of the rate of existing magnetic materials used in current electrical devices.
“With our Aeroperm magnetic materials technology, we can reduce the energy wasted in part of an electric motor by more than 10&nbsp;times,” Parsons stated. “This means we can use air cooling even at very high power levels. This makes our motors simpler, more reliable, and extremely lightweight.”
In the longer term, Kite plans to scale up the technology to develop and certify a 650-kilowatt&nbsp;electric propulsion unit that could replace turboprop engines on aircraft such as the Cessna Grand Caravan. It also envisages integrating the Aeroperm technology with larger propulsion systems using hydrogen fuel cells intended for regional airliners. 
Last year, the company had been working on a smaller 65 kW motor but input from prospective customers prompted it to start with a more powerful unit. It says that the KM-120 has a comparable weight to other 60-kW-class motors already on the market.
The Australian start-up is competing in a burgeoning market for electric propulsion in aviation&nbsp;with major aircraft engine groups <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2022-04-21/aircraft-engine-giant-safran-opportunity-knocks-door-leading-electric">Safran</a> and <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2021-11-19/rolls-royce-claims-world-speed-record-electric-spirit-innovation-flight">Rolls-Royce</a>, which are already offering technology. Slovenia-based <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2022-04-28/pipistrel-seeking-fly-electric-velis-trainer-under-new-faa-rules">Pipistrel</a>, which is now part of <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2022-03-17/textron-supercharges-electric-aviation-ambitions-pipistrel-acquisition">Textron's eAviation</a> business unit, is also a pioneer in the development of electric aircraft.
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Charles Alcock

Australian start-up Kite Magnetics, led by founder and CEO Richard Parsons (third from left), has launched its KM-120 electric propulsion system. (Image: Kite Magnetics)

Kite Unveils Lightweight Air-cooled Electric Propulsion System

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