XTI Aircraft is moving toward producing the “world's fastest, longest-lasting VTOL,” with certification and full-scale production expected to begin by the end of 2024.
The VTOL Trifan 600 will fly up to eight passengers in a huge range: up to 750 miles (1.200 km). The speed also promises to be impressive: up to 345 mph (555 km / h).
Masters of the sky
These large “eagles” would truly dominate the electric VTOL space; Trifan's range is seven times greater than what most urban eVTOLs promise, but the XTI is not a pure eVTOL.
Instead of a simple battery-electric powertrain it will host a hybrid system, using high-power batteries to handle takeoff and landing, but employing a GE catalytic converter turboprop engine to extend its flight range.
So it may be the fastest, longest-range VTOL, but if we open up the field to include fossil fuels, well, the Soviets had “Yak” VTOL fighters operating 50 years ago flying longer distances at very respectable speeds…
In any case, the company accelerates the procedures for starting the project
“We are very confident that we will be the first fixed-wing long-range vertical take-off and landing commercial aircraft. The market has been waiting for this for a long time,” says Bob LaBelle, CEO of XTI Aircraft.
The Trifan 600 looks much like a traditional fixed-wing aircraft, but is able to take off vertically thanks to a pair of huge tilting fans on the leading edges of its wings and a third fan ducted into the body of the plane behind the cabin. It will be a fairly simple VTOL to fly, running on an electronically controlled fly-by-wire system that will manage the electric motors, thrust vectoring and control surfaces in response to pilot commands.
And then it will be versatile. It will also be possible to take off and land in the traditional way, almost doubling its autonomy. If there is a runway, Trifan will be able to set off to fly over 1.380 miles (2.200 km).
Even without a runway, however, this could be a killer machine in the private and business jet market, flying smoothly for distances like Los Angeles to San Francisco, or London to Berlin.
The price of this VTOL could also upset the market
Starting at $ 6,5 million per unit (which could accommodate one pilot and five passengers), the XTI it will have a super competitive price for a corporate market. Currently the best-selling aircraft in that sector is the Gulfstream G500, and it costs $ 44 million per piece. Yes, it goes much farther and faster, but it will never hold its own in comfort and affordability than the Trifan.
So it's no surprise that XTI already claims $ 1,3 billion in sales, with over 200 VTOLs already booked.
Before it can start delivering its VTOLs, XTI obviously needs to get certified. That won't be a problem, LaBelle says. Without the need for new charging infrastructures or new runways, the company can submit the request for certification according to current regulations and operate perfectly within the current airspace system of all countries in the world.
When are we leaving? And will it always be a hybrid VTOL or…?
The plan is to get a full-scale test aircraft out in 2022, with FAA type certification expected in 2024 and production starting the same year.
In my opinion, currently no other VTOL aircraft come even close to this.
The TriFan 600 (with VTOLs to follow) will transform the light commercial aircraft market, providing greener air travel (but the optimum would be to have them fully electric or hydrogen) without compromising safety and performance.
See VTOL in action in this short video.
