LA-44 SkyBus

Specifications:

Aircraft type

Hybrid-electric VTOL long-range passenger tilt-wing aircraft

Piloting

2 pilots, 2 crew members

Capacity

40 passengers

Maximum speed

300 km/h (186 mph)

Range

1,000 km (621 m)

Empty weight

12.5 tons (24,080 lb)

Maximum payload

4.5 tons (9,920 lb)

Maximum takeoff weight

17 tons (34,000 lb)

Propellers

4 electric propellers, 4 turboprop propellers

Electric motors

4 electric motors

Power source

The aircraft will have hybrid-electric power. Turbine engines power the 4 large turboprops and hydrogen fuel cells supply electricity for the 4 propellers using electric motors.

Fuselage

Carbon fiber composite

Windows

Conventional sized airliner windows

Wings

Tandem tilt-wings

Tail

T-tail

Landing gear

Retractable tricycle twin-wheeled front landing gear and rear multi-axle bogies (four wheels on each bogie).

Landing pad size

40 x 40 meters (~131 feet X ~131 feet)

Safety features

Distributed Electric Propulsion (DEP), provides safety through redundancy for its passengers and/or cargo. DEP means having multiple propellers (or ducted fans) and motors on the aircraft so if one or more propellers (ducted fans) or motors fail, the other working propellers (or ducted fans) and motors can safely land the aircraft. There are also redundancies of critical components in the sub-systems of the aircraft.