(CNN) – The whispering started three years ago.
Now, in the late summer of the earliest year in aviation history, the Celera 500L has finally been revealed to the world, with the launch of a new website and a set of very cool new photos.
What we are considering is a private craft of six persons that promises to fly at jet speeds but with eight times lower fuel consumption, and a range that is twice that of a craft of similar size.
Fat claims indeed. Otto Aviation states on its website that 31 successful test flights have been performed so far, with aerodynamic efficiency proven in 2019, and confirms its statement that “the Celera 500L is the most fuel efficient, commercially viable aircraft that exists.”
The company, founded in 2008 and a subsidiary of Bill Otto’s Otto Laboratories, says the Celera 500L runs at 18 to 25 miles per gallon of fuel economy (compared to the 2-3 miles per gallon of a comparable jet aircraft),
Then there are the modest $ 328 hours of operating costs, which are about six times lower, and the spacious 4,500-nautical-mile range. Maximum cruise speed is projected to reach more than 460 miles per hour.
Otto Aviation
“Our goal has always been to create a safe and private aircraft that would allow direct flights in the US with speeds and costs comparable to commercial air travel,” says company CEO Bill Otto Jr. CNN Travel.
The range is such that the Celera 500L can serve almost any city couple in the United States without refueling.
The reason their plane can do all this, says Otto Aviation, is down to laminar flow.
Laminar flow is the minimal drag solution for planes of aircraft, explains their website, and has smooth layers of airflow with little to no mixing of adjacent layers.
What the Celera 500L lacks in generous windows, it makes up for with a hull that benefits from an optimal length-to-width ratio to maximize laminar flow. Laminar shapes are also used for the wings and tail.
Inside, the cabin does not have natural light, but is still spacious enough, with its height of 6 feet 2 (1.88 meters) and six equivalent seats of first class with adaptable configuration.
With its aerodynamic aircraft which means it requires much less horsepower to reach take-off and cruise speeds, the Celera 500L is powered by the RED A03 engine. It has a liquid-cooled V12, twin 6-cylinder bench and, says Otto Aviation, offers the best efficiency in its class. It is certified to operate on Jet A1 and biodiesel.
Otto Aviation
Otto Aviation has completed its initial funding rounds and those successful test flights, but they have yet to begin the FAA certification process, find a location for a production facility and create a first order book. All in the midst of a sector decimated by a pandemic that has kept people in their homes and outdoors.
“Launching in the midst of today’s aviation landscape has only reinforced what we intend to deliver with the Celera 500L,” Otto told CNN Travel. “We believe that if the price of private air travel is competitive with commercial air travel, then an enormous market opportunity will result.”
As the air taxi market becomes more commercially viable, and more affordable, it is easy to see how attractive it can be to the consumer.
“Of course we did not expect Covid-19,” says Otto, “but there are improved market opportunities in the state to pay to fly with only those you choose. Promoting busy airports and lines is a another great advantage,
“In many cases, individuals and families will be able to rent the Celera 500L at prices comparable to commercial air fares, but with the convenience of private aviation.”
Otto Aviation
Celera XL may have an application other than cargo aircraft. E-commerce is one of the big winners of the pandemic and with consumers appreciating the next day or even the same day, the handsome and economical Celera 500L can help facilitate this through more direct routes to regional airports to fly.
The company also has visions for the Celera 1000L, allowing the Celera 500L to be scaled up 20% while maintaining its laminar flow. This means near doubling the cabin size, allowing more passengers or more cargo.
If FAA certification and finding a production facility go ahead, we can see the first commercial deliveries of the Celera 500L by 2025.
If air taxis become a reality in the post-Covid era, there are other rivals for the Celera 500L that we will see in our air one day.
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