Jaben Aerospace
Jaben is a senior design team that I’m a member of. It is a collection of the names of our engineers: Jonathan, Adrian, Blake, Etienne, and myself. Our current project aims to tackle the concept of Regional Air Mobility. We’re designing a small plane using turboelectric propulsion that transports 15 passengers and a pilot a maximum distance of 500 miles. This plane is designed to be an alternative to public transportation, such as busses, metros, and trolleys. It will not only reduce travel time, but vastly reduce emissions, traffic, and increase the standard of social class.
The Cessna Skycourier is used as a reference craft for our design. It adheres very strictly to the requirements we have set for performance and travel. The goal is to accomplish the performance of this craft with electrified turboprops on a much larger scale, with reduced weight and cost.
Reports and Presentations
Design
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Aerodynamics
FX60-100 10% Smoothed Airfoil is used for the wing. The profile will feature a 10 degree sweep, a 0.4 taper ratio, and a 9.2 aspect ratio.
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Propulsion
Two rear-mounted turboprops, and two wing-mounted electric props provide the thrust to move the plane. The props are powered via parallel-series propulsion configuration, which charges batteries via a fuel engine, similar to a hybrid car.
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Mission Profile
The plane features a standard regional mission, with a loiter included to account for emergencies, in case the plane is unable to land at the original destination.
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Configuration
The plane will feature a t-tail and a top wing on a standard tube-and-wing structure.
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Structure
The fuselage is mostly made of aluminum alloy to remain light and cost efficient.
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Stability
The plane features a static margin of 18%, which allows for high maneuverability without sacrificing stability.
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Cost and Entry
Initial plane routes are to be set in coastal California. Entry year is expected at 2035 with an up-front cost of $1.04 billion for a total of 200 planes. Routes would eventually be routed through most of America, and utilizes smaller airports scattered around the country. All production cost goes into plane maintenance and production, as runway and airport construction is unnecessary.
