News
Recognizing the growing market for Urban Air Mobility (UAM) and electric Vertical Take Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft, National Business Aircraft Association (NBAA) invited new entrant XTI Aircraft to display the TriFan 600 vertical takeoff airplane as part of NBAA’s Innovation Exhibit at its annual Business Aircraft Convention & Exhibit (BACE) in Las Vegas, October 22-24, 2019.
XTI Aircraft Company is a privately-owned aviation business, founded in 2012. The TriFan 600 includes patented technology, vertical takeoff combined with long-range, the speed and comfort of a business aircraft, and a quiet, cost effective, and clean state-of-the-art hybrid-electric propulsion system.
Analysis
The TriFan 600 takes off vertically, like a helicopter, and then transitions to conventional flight to achieve higher speeds and long distances. The aircraft is powered by the new GE hybrid-electric engine, Catalyst (UAM Insight: 29 August, 2019 GE’s Hybrid Catalyst Engine). The hybrid-electric engine provides the same performance as conventional engines but reduces the price of the six-passenger aircraft to $6.5 million per aircraft $350 per hour operating costs. There are 81 orders for the TriFan 600 aircraft, which represents more than half a billion backlog.
Insight
The XTI TriFan 600 is one of more than 240 programs in development to meet the anticipated demand for UAM aircraft. Showcasing this new technology at 2019 NBAA-BACE further supports the industry’s move towards eVTOL aircraft.
