Rolls-Royce announced on Monday that it has entered the final build phase for its UltraFan technology demonstrator engine. The scalable UltraFan can produce from 25,000 to 100,000 pounds of thrust and has a fan diameter of 140 inches, making it the world’s largest aeronautical engine to date. The engine, which is designed for new narrowbody and widebody aircraft “anticipated in the 2030s,” is expected to offer a 25 percent improvement in fuel efficiency compared to the first-generation Trent engine.
So it hovered. Market leader? Let’s decode the hyperbole: “This momentous milestone secures AIR’s spot as a market leader in the personal air mobility space, making the thrill of flight achievable on a daily basis…”
What is “the personal air mobility space”? It is GA. A little humility, please.
Priced like a helicopter, no doubt.
Could sell, especially if it is quieter than a helicopter and if you do not need to have it serviced so often.
And of course, as long as the first customers do not crash…
Tim S: Well stated. Repeating hyperbolic press releases seems to be all this “editor-in-chief” can manage. Mr. Bertorelli needs to write MORE, and the other press-release-regurgitators LESS.
Ha ha ha ha ha! These articles are more comical and amusing (but less accurate) than watching Gutfeld on Fox. One hour charge, 155 mph, 110 mile range, available to the public in a year and a half? Hum… I wonder how much it will cost, and where are they in the certification process? Is the aviation public really thought to be so stupid and ignorant?
Dale, they are not marketing their machine to the aviation public. They are going after wealthy non-pilots who think it would be cool to have a flying toy that they can “fly” without any license or training. And, something they can take off and land in their back yard, so no long trips to an airport.
As for the 0-100% charge in an hour, you can do that if you don’t mind the risk of cooking off the batteries, or you install a water-cooled charge system to dissipate the heat. Oh, and you would need to install an expensive high amperage charging station at your house which will cost a pretty penny. But hey, if you can afford the electric toy, the charger shouldn’t be a big deal.
C’mon guys. The only planes in the fleet that met their promised specs and were released on time are now antiques (or maybe antiquities which sounds even older)
If you want to throw shade at the manned drone market, it’s not really effective to blame them for being just like Cirrus, Diamond, and any other new plane manufacturer.
I’ve read a comment from you on each of the three articles I’ve read so far this morning. They’re all pushing misinformation about climate change. Are you a Russian bot, or just a republican puppet?
The story starts out claiming a 25% improvement in fuel economy but from what basis? Their first Trent engines or the latest iteration?
Then the go and spoil it all by virtue signaling about 100% sustainable fuel. Stupid! If these engines are an important innovation then they should run on petroleum-based Jet A or any other approved jet fuel.
“MISINFORMATION ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE” (political hoax)…??? Instead of making the stereotypical leftie arguments-ad-hominem, why not try a rational approach and list the specific points upon which Kent M is mistaken and offer some scientific rebuttals. As far as I can determine, there is nothing incorrect in Kent M.'s comment. “…republican puppet”…??? Now THERE is a brilliant observation.
…AND YET AGAIN, our “editor-in-chief” regurgitates another blathering press release - with all the mind-numbing politically-approved buzzwords - sustainability, transformative technology, advanced low-emissions, bla bla bla.