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Bye Aerospace Unveils Eight-Seater eFlyer 800, Might Be Powered by Solar Cells

As cars continue to move in the direction of green energy, CO2 emissions from the airline industry are expected to increase sevenfold by 2050. Aviation giants and aircraft manufacturers are actively making efforts to reduce emissions in response to climate change. For companies like Bye Aerospace, the switch to electric aircrafts is not rocket science, but it’s more challenging for medium or long-haul flights.
The new eight-seater eFlyer 800 1 photo
Photo: Bye Aerospace
The eFlyer 2 made its public debut in 2016 at Colorado's Centennial Airport. After the two-seater model started to gain some interest, the eFlyer 4, a four-seater model, was announced. By 2018, the company already had 130 deposits for the eFlyer 2 and 27 deposits for the eFlyer 4.

Since then, Bye Aerospace has continued to broaden its horizons with an eight-seater this time, dubbed eFlyer 800. The plane's eight-seat arrangement can accommodate up to seven passengers and one or two pilots, having a significant space improvement from the eFlyer 2 and eFlyer 4 models.

The new electric aircraft is expected to have a cruising speed of up to 320 knots and a range of 500 nautical miles. Its rate of climb will reach 3,400 feet (1,036 meters) per minute, and its maximum flight altitude will be 35,000 feet (10,668 meters). For the operating costs involved, the eFlyer 800 aims to have 20 percent of the operating costs of traditional twin turboprops.

"The eFlyer 800 is the first all-electric propulsion technology airplane that achieves twin-turboprop performance and safety with no CO2 and extremely low operating costs," said George Bye, Bye Aerospace CEO.

"This type of remarkable economy and performance is made possible by the electric propulsion system and advanced battery cell technology that results in significantly higher energy densities.", he added.

The previously-used 90kW Siemens SP70D electric motors are replaced by two ENGINeUS electric motors mounted on the wings, produced by Safran Electric & Power, its partner company.

Each electric motor will have dual redundant motor windings, and they will be powered by quad-redundant battery packs. The eFlyer 800 will also be fitted with an all-aircraft parachute if the battery fails.

Other features include an emergency auto-landing system, terrain avoidance and routing for emergency auto-land, and possibly, supplementary power solar cells and an in-wheel electric taxi.

Although Bye Aerospace hasn't put a price on the new aircraft, you can make an idea about the future cost based on its eFlyer 2 and eFlyer 4, which are priced at $489,000 and $627,000, respectively.

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About the author: Florina Spînu
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Florina taught herself how to drive in a Daewoo Tico (a rebadged Suzuki Alto kei car) but her first "real car" was a VW Golf. When she’s not writing about cars, drones or aircraft, Florina likes to read anything related to space exploration and take pictures in the middle of nature.
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