Cheap, clean electric aviation and space launch is our goal. We want to replace oil with a new mode of transport using tethers and electric power.
Gliders have been launched with winches and tow aircraft for decades. We can extend this principal using electric tow aircraft and winches for commercial aviation and low cost space flight. This technology can replace jet fuel with electricity for the takeoff and climb phases of flight saving the industry billions of dollars. Electric takeoff has the potential to make flying the cleanest and cheapest form of long distance transport.
Our electric takeoff system uses tethered tow aircraft powered by electricity from the grid. The electric tow planes orbit a rotating ground hub at an airport. Payload aircraft attach to a winch cable at the hub using a detachable harness. The winch motors in the hub tow the payload to altitude with acceleration similar to an electric elevator.
At the top of the winch cable, the payload is travelling as fast as the tow aircraft and with an altitude of 30,000 feet or more. The harness is detached when the aircraft is travelling in the desired direction. For higher altitudes including suborbital flights, the payload detaches from the winch and continues along the extended cable using centripetal force. To avoid drag, the cable travels at high altitudes.
Sub-Orbital Passenger Transport
The electric takeoff system has the potential to deliver cheap, safe suborbital passenger transport. Modern tether materials allow cables to be constructed with lengths greater than 200 miles. These tethers can achieve high altitudes and velocities by acting as a continuous wing. Auto-rotating tethers can provide aerodynamic stability and high lift-to-weight ratios.
Orbital Flights and Earth Escape
Our long term goal is to enable orbital launch without rockets. Using a two stage tether to orbit system, passengers could potentially travel to space for a few dollars per pound in a smooth, silent journey. This technology could enable low cost space tourism and the settlement of the moon and Mars.
Air Freight Cheaper than Trucking
Basic economic modeling shows that the electric take-off system would be cheaper than conventional aviation and trucking for freight. Electric power prices are generally lower and more stable than oil prices. For a typical aircraft, electric take-off and climb would be complete in less than three minutes compared to fifteen minutes for a conventional take-off. A Boeing 737 consumes about 5000 lb of jet fuel in an average takeoff and climb to cruise altitude. That fuel cost is $2000 at current jet fuel prices compared to a projected $650 for an electric take-off. There is a strong business case for airports and airlines to deploy the technology to reduce their consumption of jet fuel.
Reducing Oil Consumption
The global aviation industry spends between $100 and $200 billion on aviation fuel annually. A significant fraction of that fuel is spent on taxi, take-off and climb as they are the least fuel efficient phases of any flight. By retrofitting aircraft for electric take-off assist, much of this fuel cost can be saved. In addition, cheap electric air freight would capture market share from the trucking industry thanks to lower fuel costs. The trucking industry is estimated to contribute 5% of America’s GDP. The development of electric take-off would be motivated by fuel cost savings in the aviation sector and it could potentially replace a large share of America’s freight industry with electric transport.
Safety
Take-off is the most expensive and dangerous phase of any flight. An engine failure in the first minute of flight gives the pilots little time to respond. Electric take-off has the potential to be safer than conventional aviation through the use of reliable electric motors and redundant tow planes. In the event of a power failure, the electric tow planes could be landed at the airport under battery power. The winch cable could be fitted with parachutes at regular intervals to be deployed in case of a broken cable. Residents living near airports should welcome the electric system as it will eliminate aircraft take-off noise. The tow planes will fly at high altitude and will not be audible from the ground.
Join Us
Electric aviation can deliver cheap, clean transport for passengers and cargo. We are a small group of engineers, pilots and entrepreneurs trying to change the future of travel. We are seeking partners in the aerospace industry to help develop and market this radical new form of transport.
