Aircraft manufacturer Diamond Aircraft recently announced its partnership with Safran Electrical & Power to equip the eDA40 electric trainer aircraft with an ENGINeUSTM smart electric motor.
Through the agreement, Safran will provide the electric motor, which will feature a DC fast charging system capable of completion in 20 minutes. According to projections, the eDA40 will be able to achieve a flight time of about 90 minutes and would reduce operating costs by 40% compared to conventional piston engines.
Safran’s ENGINeUS product line includes a wide range of electric motors with power ratings up to 500 kW. “The ENGINeUS TM 100, which will equip the eDA40, offers a maximum of 130 kW of takeoff power and features a fully integrated motor controller inside the machine,” Diamonds Aircraft said in a statement.
“The DA40 is a proven aircraft with worldwide interest among private pilots and professional flight training operators. Creating an electric version and participating in the electrification of this best-selling aircraft is a technical challenge. But at the same time, it’s a response to the growing global demand to decarbonize aviation through electric propulsion. This new contract demonstrates the success of our ENGINeUS™ product line and confirms the strong market interest in our approach to further enhance electric powertrain performance,” said Thierry Sieg, vice president, of sales and marketing, Safran Electrical & Power.
For his part, Liqun (Frank) Zhang, CEO of Diamond Aircraft Industries Austria, stated, “We are pleased to announce the partner for the eDA40 engine (…) With Safran we have an expert partner in onboard electric propulsion systems. The state-of-the-art smart motor technology, which includes intelligent features combined with a highly advanced certification process, is the logical choice for our aircraft. We look forward to the first flights scheduled for the end of 2022.”
Certification of these engines is scheduled for the middle of next year, while certification of the eDA40 is expected in late 2023 or early 2024.
