DuoTrek 1.0

Specifications:

Aircraft type

Passenger hybrid-electric VTOL concept design aircraft

Piloting

1 pilot (with side-by-side seating)

Capacity

1 passenger

Cruise speed

100 mph (160 km/h)

Maximum speed

150 mph (240 km/h)

Range

218 m (350 km)

Flight time

1-1/2 hours

Empty weight

675 lb (306 kg)

Maximum payload weight

360 lb (163 kg)

Maximum fuel weight

142 lb (64 kg)

Maximum takeoff weight

1,177 lb (534 kg)

Propellers

8 ducted propellers, 42" (1,067 mm)

Electric Motors

8 electric motors (20 kW electric motors)

Power source

In 2003, the concept design originally had a conventional petroleum engine to power the aircraft with gears and mechanical linkages to drive the propellers. However, in 2011, the propulsion system was redesigned and became a hybrid-electric aircraft. It uses a 200 hp engine to create all the electricity for the aircraft and uses electric motors to turn the propellers.

Fuselage

Carbon fiber composite

Windows

Canopy over cockpit

Wings

Stub wings

Tail

T-tail

Landing gear

Fixed skid type landing gear

Safety features

Distributed Electric Propulsion (DEP) uses multiple propellers or electric ducted fans, each powered by electric motors, to increase safety through redundancy. If one or more components fail, the remaining ones can still ensure a safe landing. There are also redundancies of critical components in the sub-systems of the aircraft providing safety through redundancy. Having multiple redundant systems on any aircraft decreases having any single point of failure. The aircraft has a whole aircraft ballistic parachute.