”The most dramatic thing about the test flight was how undramatic it was. The plane performed exactly as we predicted - soaring effortlessly through the air, with a precision take-off and landing. This test flight validated what we already knew - that the ES-19 aerodynamic design is inherently stable and safe”, says Anders Forslund, founder and CEO of Heart Aerospace.
The test flight took four and a half minutes. The aircraft flew with an average speed of 125 km/h (77mph/68 kn) and a maximum speed of 150 km/h (93 mph/ 80 kn). The take off and landing speed was 85 km/h (53mph/45 kn).
With a wingspan of 4.6m, the Heart ES-19 model aircraft is built in scale 1:5 according to the exact dimensions of the full-scale ES-19 aircraft. However, the manufacturing materials are different: Whereas the full-scale ES-19 will be made primarily from aluminum, the subscale model was constructed from a mix of carbon fiber and fiberglass composites. The onboard systems, including the electric motors, were entirely off-the-shelf. However, a full-scale demonstrator of the ES-19 drivetrain has already been in ground testing for more than a year.
“We’re not looking to reinvent the wheel. A lot of start-ups are presenting very novel aircraft architectures, spending several years in subscale testing just to demonstrate the basic functionality of the aircraft. We’ve avoided these pitfalls by relying on a conventional aircraft architecture”, says Forslund. “We can devote almost all our resources to the formal development - bringing this aircraft through certification and into commercial service.”
This subscale demonstrator was supported by the Swedish Innovation Agency Vinnova, as a part of the research project “Elise - Electric Aviation in Sweden”.
Heart Aerospace is developing the world’s first fully electric passenger airliner for commercial use. The first test flights of the full-scale version of the Heart ES-19 are planned for 2024. By 2026, the plane will enter into service for commercial short-haul flights.