Charles Bolden, NASA administrator, said: “With the return of piloted X-planes to NASA’s research capabilities – which is a key part of our 10-year-long New Aviation Horizons initiative – the general aviation-sized X-57 will take the first step in opening a new era of aviation.”
As many as five larger transport-scale X-planes also are planned as part of the New Aviation Horizons initiative. Its goals include demonstrating advanced technologies to reduce fuel use, emissions and noise, and thus accelerate their introduction to the marketplace.
NASA researchers working directly with the electric airplane chose to name the aircraft Maxwell to honour James Clerk Maxwell, the 19th century Scottish physicist who did ground-breaking work in electromagnetism. His importance in contributing to the understanding of physics is rivalled only by Albert Einstein and Isaac Newton. Part of a four-year flight demonstrator plan, NASA’s Scalable Convergent Electric Propulsion Technology Operations Research project will build the X-57 by modifying a recently procured, Italian-designed Tecnam P2006T twin-engine light aircraft.
Its original wing and two gas-fuelled piston engines will be replaced with a long, thin wing embedded with 14 electric motors – 12 on the leading edge for take offs and landings, and one larger motor on each wing tip for use while at cruise altitude.
NASA’s aeronautical innovators hope to validate the idea that distributing electric power across a number of motors integrated with an aircraft in this way will result in a five-time reduction in the energy required for a private plane to cruise at 175mph.
Several other benefits would result as well. Maxwell will be powered only by batteries, eliminating carbon emissions and demonstrating how demand would shrink for lead-based aviation fuel still in use by general aviation.
Energy efficiency at cruise altitude using X-57 technology could reduce flight times and fuel usage, as well as reducing overall operational costs for small aircraft by as much as 40%. Typically, to get the best fuel efficiency an airplane has to fly slower than it is able. Electric propulsion essentially eliminates the penalty for cruising at higher speeds. The X-57’s electric propulsion technology is also expected to significantly decrease aircraft noise.
