Posted on 08/28/2020 9:49:51 AM PDT by Red Badger
The whispers started three years ago. A mysterious bullet-shaped plane was spotted at the Southern California Logistics Airport near Victorville in April 2017. Its unusual design prompted immediate speculation, with military website The War Zone being the first to report that the aircraft was the work of California-based Otto Aviation -- and that development was very much under wraps.
Someone looking for an ID of an unusual looking aircraft spotted at the Southern California Logistics Airport. https://t.co/83J7RqOpvy pic.twitter.com/eAPrXNwIEf — John Wiseman (@lemonodor) April 16, 2017
Now, in the late summer of the strangest year in aviation history, the Celera 500L has finally been revealed to the world, with the launch of a new website and a bunch of very cool new photos. What we're looking at is a six-person private craft that promises to fly at jet speeds, but with eight times lower fuel consumption, and a range that's twice that of a comparably sized craft. Bold claims indeed. Otto Aviation says on its website that 31 successful test flights have so far been performed, with aerodynamic efficiency proven in 2019, bolstering its declaration that "the Celera 500L is the most fuel-efficient, commercially viable aircraft in existence." The company, founded in 2008 and an offshoot of Bill Otto's Otto Laboratories, says that the Celera 500L runs at 18 to 25 miles-per-gallon fuel economy (compared to the 2-3 miles-per-gallon of a comparable jet aircraft). Then there are the modest $328 hourly operating costs, which are about six times lower, and the generous 4,500-nautical-mile range. Maximum cruise speed is projected to reach more than 460 miles per hour.
(Excerpt) Read more at edition.cnn.com ...
I don’t see this as attaining “jet speeds” !!!
It is a real jet aircraft, not a v-12 ram air diesel prop.
See the site, or maybe you know all about the Hondas.
Don’t fly in private craft anymore— but would not fly in a diesel, at any ceiling. “Raus!” (get out)! As in:
“Vielleicht fliegen sie damit da raus.” Vielen dank but I’d trust a Gulfstream long before either this VW of the air, and even one of the new Hondas.
“I would think that the cockpit view would be more open and forward-looking”
Maybe there are cameras to assist the pilot.
“I don’t see this as attaining “jet speeds” !!!”
Cruise is faster than P51 and faster than first jet fighter.
Non Sequitur
That’s not a propellor...it’s the last turbine stage and it powers the AC and electric generator. It’s capturing the waste heat from the jet engine. That’s how the whole thing achieves such remarkable efficiency.
...and minor things like wide visibility to see other nearby aircraft.
“Not saying weight and balance would be a big issue with that shape,”
Not saying?
Shame on you for thinking what I was thinking. ;-)
...with eight times lower fuel consumption...
...hourly operating costs are about six times lower...
Whatever happened to "one-eighth" and "one-sixth"?
There is NO SUCH THING as "eight times lower" or "six times lower."
A pusher AND a jets? Weird.
“A pusher AND a jets? Weird.”
No jets.
The Flying Goose Egg.
No jets, V12 pistons...........
Not to me it isn’t— won’t fly on a v-12 rear banger diesel.
Didn’t much like flying on a fully restored Cessna 0-2 push me pull me spotter plane (avgas).
Good friend, physician was burned alive with his pilot on takeoff many years back. Pilot very experienced in his O-2 Skymaster (Vietnam vet FAC). Think of this every time see a rear prop, and do recognize the potential techno improvements.
Fly enough- and percentages go up. Sailing as well— the ocean will eventually win. Nature does, in my opinion.
From the article, “The reason its aircraft can do all this, says Otto Aviation, is down to laminar flow.”
In 1957 Piper contracted with aircraft designer John Thorp together with Piper’s cheif engineer Fred Weick (remembered for the Ercoupe) and others they developed the Piper Cherokee. The original “Hershey Bar” wings were designed with “laminar flow” in mind. Even aircraft in WWII were designed with laminar flow in mind. It is not a new concept.
As a pilot, the problem that I have with the “bullet plane” is that those tiny wings even with a fusalage that is designed to create lift... pretty much guarantee that it will have a high landing speed and poor survivability in an off airport landing... not that small business jets do not have high landing speeds as well.
Yea, and this thing, starting at 30,000’ gives you 125 miles to figure out where you’re landing. That sounds pretty good to this terrestrial dweller.
I’m sure cooling is included in that ducted airflow.
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