Toulouse-based startup Ascendance Flight Technologies has revealed the concept for a new VTOL aircraft. The French company plans to begin production of its five-seater ‘ATEA’ model in 2025. Targeting an 80% reduction in carbon emissions compared to conventional helicopter designs, ATEA sports a striking and unconventional ‘fan-in-wing’ design.
A hybrid-electric concept
Revealed earlier this morning, the Ascendance Flight Technologies ATEA is a five-seat hybrid-electric aircraft with vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) capabilities. The concept is the culmination of three years of research and development, and embodies the company’s goal of helping to decarbonize aviation. As seen above, its wing design is rather unique.
The ‘fan-in-wing’ nature of ATEA’s structure is a key aspect in enabling its VTOL capabilities. These propellers make up one of the aircraft’s two propulsion systems, while the other can be seen in the form of the propellers situated on ATEA’s nose and tail. Ascendance Flight Technologies refers to this combination as a ‘Lift+Cruise’ system.
But where does the name ATEA come from? Last month, Simple Flying had the chance to visit Ascendance as part of a trip in association with Invest In Toulouse and Finn Partners. Here, the opportunity arose to speak to the company’s CEO, Jean-Christophe Lambert, who confirmed that the design takes its name from a Polynesian deity, the giver of light.
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Facts and figures
As far as the specifications of the aircraft are concerned, ATEA will be able to accommodate up to five passengers. As such, it is geared more towards urban mobility/air taxi services, rather than full-scale airline service. However, with a planned range of 400 km (250 miles), it will enable longer and faster journeys than traditional land-based taxi services.
Using hybrid-electric technology to propel the aircraft, which Ascendance “conceived to operate in peri-urban areas,” also has environmental advantages. The headline in this respect is an 80% reduction in carbon emissions compared to conventional helicopter designs. This aligns with Ascendance’s mission statement, as CEO Jean-Christophe Lambert explains:
“We set up Ascendance with a very clear vision of what we wanted to achieve: to accelerate transition towards green aviation thanks to hybrid technology.”
What are the timescales?
While Ascendance’s ATEA concept is an exciting one, are we likely to see it in the skies any time soon? As it happens, the company has ambitious short-term goals that will see major steps made in the next few years. Jean-Christophe Lambert explains that:
“ATEA will soon exist in the form of a full-scale prototype, and will go into testing in 2023. With help from our financial partners, we are now experiencing vigorous development. We are actively recruiting, running test and trial programs, and we are steadily moving towards our 2025 certification objective.”
Also offering noise pollution levels four times lower than conventional aircraft, ATEA is certainly an interesting prospect. It will be fascinating to see whether Ascendance meets its paned timescales, and the sort of market there ends up being for such VTOL aircraft.
What do you make of this concept? Can you see such aircraft becoming the future of air travel? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
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