The company I worked for had a Beech Starship. We flew it around as a commercial commuter aircraft with commercial pilots. It look good, sounded great and had lots of space inside compared to others. But we seemed to need new props about every sixth landing. We learned why almost all aircraft have the prop in the front. Upon landing, and rocks, or dirt would damage the props. New we would be far from home and ordering one or two props. They would have to fly them out with a team from the factory to replace them. It was on us to pay for it and it was $$. After the third prop replacement, we returned it to Beech. Special pilots, not as fast as a commuter jet, always waiting on parts, etc. It looked killer in the giant hangar, but it was a bad design. Never again design a prop plane with the prop in the back. They get destroyed on landing.

"Calculated" performance figures, but no actual test data. It's all vaporware, but the vaguely British accent of the narrator is convincing.

It’s great to see so much effort put into this endeavor. The shorter runway take off is ideal for avoiding the big hubs, big traffic issues out of and into conventional International airports. That practical level of service coupled with the reduction in emissions makes this venture so worth while.

Very impressive performance numbers. Here's hoping that this one sees full production and finds acceptance in the market if it's as good as advertised.

I can see its use as a Royal Flying Doctor (RDF) air ambulance in Australia,. Speed, range, and short take-off and landing are key requirements, but the 'egg' offers something else - internal space for medical equipment that enables in-flight treatment in an emergency; great potential for a well briefed market officer who takes the time to understand the unique requirements of Australia;s RDF service.

So many videos like this. Still waiting for the travel revolution.

This airplane definitely appears to have a lot of potential, very cool engineering !

Interesting analysis of the claims, from the Wikipedia article: With a 35 ft (11 m) long fuselage and a 55 ft (17 m) wingspan, the claimed 22-to-1 glide ratio should yield a 3.5 sq ft (0.33 m2) equivalent flat-plate area drag.[9] With 500 hp (370 kW), this would allow a top speed of 300 kn (560 km/h) at 30,000 ft (9,100 m), and 430 kn (800 km/h) true airspeed at 65,000 ft (20,000 m), but the RED A03 critical altitude is 25,000 ft (7,600 m).[9] The propeller tips would have transonic wave drag and would operate in a disturbed wake, limiting propeller efficiency, and laminar flow would be difficult to maintain for a large part of the fuselage with windows and panel seams.[9] The configuration is similar to the 1948 Planet Satellite, or the 2011 EADS Voltaire electric aircraft concept.[7] The claimed 59% drag reduction "would be quite a hard task to achieve", according to the Royal Aeronautical Society, while lift-induced drag would not be reduced by laminar flow.[7] A 1:22 glide ratio like current airliners can be reached with its high wing aspect ratio, without a sensational drag reduction: better than other general aviation designs, but lower than most gliders.[7] The 460 mph (400 kn; 740 km/h) max speed is achievable, but the cruise speed has to be lower to reach the 4,500 nmi (8,300 km) range.[7] The fuel efficiency is difficult to compare with no specified payload, cruise speed and altitude.[7] Pushing the laminar flow to the limit could hinder handling qualities or structural efficiency, and laminar flow tends to be unreliable in service, as it is highly susceptible to degradation from surface irregularities.[7]

I hope all goes well for this company. It appears to be a wonderful addition to business travel.

I think the key to success of this project is the high quality of the 3D video...particularly, the hangar shots.

This feels so much like the hype for the Beech Starship, which was supposed to be super-light, clean and efficient, carbon fibre, laminar flow. Wound up grossly overweight and too expensive. They took two seats out before it was even certified just to try to make it work.

Yes, I think at this point this can private and point-2-point aviation. I am excited and looking forward to more updates!

I have been following this design for several years now and it continues to make it milestones. Small aviation is a very important sector. Many of us would use aviation from smaller cities in an inexpensive, comfortable and quick airplane. This taps into a largely unseen market. Handling and durability will likely be the final arbiters of commercial success. Thank you

easily the coolest thing I've seen today....I hope they are successful & push thru all the way to the H2 fuel cells...very very COOL!

They deserve every success!

Following this aircraft through its development has sparked enthusiasm for the future of transportation by air and, due to the parallel efforts in the enhancement all azimuts of hydrogen fuel cells, of sustainable mass transit in general. But, the Celera has tickled the fancy of aircraft enthusiasts for years now, anticipating every step forward toward making this dream project an accessible reality. Hopefully, no insurmontable hurdles shall impede its accreditation/realization!

This combination of design elements was first achieved and flown by Eau Gallie High School Aeronautics Department in the 1980's. It was called the EG-1 experimental aircraft.

This thing is amazimg! I really do hope it goes into production and does well. There are a lot of unnecessary flights but used wisely and efficiently, this could really go along way to cutting emissions.

Has anyone built a radio controlled model of this aircraft? It would be a great subject for 'scale' modeling.

This is actually worth more to the industry. I can see many companies that have private airlines picking this up also many islands for short and long distance runs Definitely a golden award . Fantastic aircraft ❤

Okay, it gets better fuel mileage than that SUV and pickup but how does it compare in trailer towing capacity?

I’d get one if I was a multimillionaire. Price is $4.5M - $5M with a top speed of 460 mph. Also since planes can fly directly to your destination without the twists and bends of the road, it’s probably even more fuel efficient than a car if you wanted to get across the country.

That's gonna seriously increase the amount of UFO sightings.

This is an incredible piece of work, well done!

This plane is the one that really should be using the new CATL 500 Wh/kg Batteries.

I have drawings from when I was about 8 years old of an aircraft I designed that looks like this one. Only that mine was propelled by 5 rocket engines at the back and had a Delta Wing.

This has the potential to make running a charter business considerably more profitable. I can believe these haven't already flooded the charter market.

I love the push for efficiency. I'm excited to see what CATL's newly-announced aviation-grade batteries can do with an efficient design like this.

I would be more interested in MPG per pound of load beyond vehicle weight, or dollar per mile per pound load including capital and maintenance cost.

And the pusher prop helps auite a bit as pusher props are significantly more efficient than conventional forward facing ones.

Exciting times! I just love the current wave of future aircraft concepts with better powertrains than just burning gas. Many/most will likely fail for one reason or another, but some will indeed make it to the market and hopefully be successful!

Fifty years from now this will be old school, but in the present, it's eye opening innovation. This aircraft is rather intriguing and my hat's off to its creators!

Looks sleek, well done! One thing I'd like to see is the Weight & Balance envellope. Just looking at the placement of the wing surfaces, having between zero and 19 people in the cabin, compounded with difference between full and near-empty fuel tanks would appear to be a major balancing challenge.

The video shows landings and takeoffs without so much as flaps, let alone any serious high lift devices. How do you get a slippery aircraft onto the ground.even on jet runways without them? How do you get it slowed down to pattern speeds and altitudes?

Has anyone thought about using the Omega 1 aviation engine in such a aircraft? The engine is extremely light for the power it creates and you can add each unit to another to increase the power. I would think it could be used with a hydrogen fuel. I'd be fascinated to see this engine, once the engine gets to the commercial stage, be used in such an advanced airplane.

Fascinating really. When will they be flying, and at what cost?

It just doesn't look like it should fly with such little (and aft) wing area! The test results/specs though--very impressive. I wish them all the luck in the world. I've love to be able to commute from my local FBO on one of these.

Will definitely look forward to the progress on this one!

This must be a wake up call to the big aircraft manufacturers... everyone is worried about the future and this looks like it has some important answers.

Wonder if they could also use a toroidal propeller to increase efficiency

We oughta tell them about the toroidal propellers too

As a Airline Transport Pilot, with close to 20,000 hours of flight time, I wonder how that thing will hold up flying the ILS into Denver during a severe icing storm and winds gusting to 55......visibility out those windows don't look that great for the pilots. Unless they're intending to get rid of us?

That "Fuel" part, Thats what i've been waiting for in a plane for its market.

Turbulent flow is required to reduce wing stall speeds particularly at high angles of attack, so there may be some safety issues.

I was flying with a friend one day and decided to calculate MPG based on fuel flow and ground speed. It was a twin engine Piper Aztec with 6 cylinder air cooled engines, and two bladed propellers. My calculated MPG was 20 and the plane was averaging about 200mph ground.

They should work on larger variant, like 50 seater to cater for high demand short haul flight

Over-the-nose visibility doesn't look too great. On short final, with high pitch attitude, will pilot be able to see the runway? I had a plane with similar issue and eventually just did a final turn with roll out pretty much on the runway. I couldn't see the runway if I flew traditional final approach. Take off had similar issue: I'd look out the side to judge my position on the runway.

The concept is quite beautiful and stunning. This might be the revolution we've been waiting for!

Very efficient design, well done.

keep going on this aviation development for the bigger ,faster ,cheaper and safer .

This is Amazing! Gets better mileage than most cars! And,it's a plane!

I would like to see the prop noise data for this aircraft. As long-time RC pilot pusher prop systems such as these are notoriously loud, I noticed the video was very careful to avoid any mention of noise. It looks like a good concept, but I will look for videos of the plane's takeoff with sound.

Is it really more efficient than a traditional aircraft if it can carry less people? What would be the fuel consumption/payload weight metric for this aircraft and how does it compare to what we have now?

Eco friendly aviation time has come with this design . Simply fabulous. The egg shape fuselage for laminar flow is a breakthrough . This can be applied for SUV also

That's substantially better than most boats. Amazing

✈🌍 Impressive! The advancements in small aviation are truly remarkable. It's fascinating to see how this design is catering to the needs of travelers in smaller cities, providing them with affordable, comfortable, and efficient air transportation. I wonder, what other innovations or features would you like to see in small aviation to further enhance its commercial success? Keep up the great work! 👍🚀

Would a toroidal propeller be applicable?

Methanol is the most efficient way of storing hydrogen. And its much easier and cheaper to store than liquid hydrogen. Reformed methanol fuel cell/battery power would increase the range of this aircraft by more than 50%.

Heard of this before. Amazing design. Amazing aircraft

You can fly from la to Seattle without making any emissions. I get the distinct feeling that was a direct translation, or so is my instinct.

I'd love to see the numbers of this graceful bird if it was fitted with the new torodial propellers.

I think these things are going to start around $5 million. I wonder if a smaller version ( 4 seater) that could do 200 mph and had greater wing surface area could get the price down to under $1 million. This would be a much larger market. 50 miles per gallon ?

If the company can get FAA certification, as well as EAA certification, the aircraft offers great potential. Having said that, the last time I looked, the current price is pushing $4 million. Most people who operate a six-passenger aircraft are not able or willing to spend that sort of money. The CirrusJet is about the same cost, and it's available now. Both aircraft will use Jet-A as fuel. Granted, the Celera will use less, but it's still two years away from certification and production, and we don't know where things are going to be there. The country is in decline, businesses are gone, and the money to spend on this tech is already being spent on current tech. I think it's a great idea, but I'm not sure how well it's going to be received by those with four million dollars to spend on it. Next thing, the aircraft uses laminar flow, which has been around for a very long time in aviation, but presents some challenges. The aircraft will have to be kept clean. Laminar flow is easily 'tripped', meaning it can be disrupted, which in this particular case can cause a substantial reduction in performance. The owner/operator will need to make sure the airplane is able to maintain the laminar flow. Next, the hydrogen fuel system. This is great, being able to travel from L.A. to Seattle on a single charge of hydrogen with the only emission being water is wonderful. How many airports have a hydrogen storage system? None that I'm aware of. The only places for hydrogen refueling stations are California and Hawaii. None of the airports there support hydrogen refueling. The Toronto Pearson airport in Toronto, Canada is planning on installing a hydrogen fueling station, but only for ground vehicles. So, to use this airplane as a zero-emission vehicle, airports will need to invest millions of dollars to store and dispense hydrogen. There are huge dangers in hydrogen, as well, and if people forget, I suggest you look up the Hindenburg airship from the 1930s. We already have fuel spills on refueling, this is common. Imagine a fuel leak on a hydrogen-powered vehicle. Since it is a gas, it's harder to detect and easier to ignite. If we can accept the risks, and overcome the requirements, and find an audience willing to shell out the required amount of money to own one, I think a Jet-A-powered version would be awesome. There might be ten or twelve sold in 2025/2026, but I don't know how many after that. Look to Beechcraft's Starship. A great airplane, ahead of its time that did not sell well and was discontinued because the aviation community was not ready to accept such forward-thinking design in aviation.

Wow. I bet it can also heal bad karma and it poops butterflies! I came here for an example of investor-fleecing lingo for my students and I was NOT disappointed 🤣

About 25 yrs ago there was another plane like this called the VK-30 which got side stepped by the Cirrus line.

Innovation is one of the most appealing characteristic of human nature! The future is looking great!

This is a great design. I hope it inspires designers to scale it up to larger sizes. Efficiency is beautiful!

It is refreshing to hear about Laminar Flow again! (The more it is referred to in aviation research reports, I think, the better it is for the world.) When the aircraft body is made aerodynamically OK, it can be time to also take care of the propulsion system. By replacing traditional pitch control with BLADE TWIST CONTROL of the propellers, some amazing results can be achieved. E.g. the current top speed of Mach 0.6 can be increased to Mach 0.8 ! And still keep the regime of SILENT OPERATION in place.

I’d love to see the this aircraft perform in icing conditions. It’s performance in crosswinds will be interesting as well. No, I don’t think this will be the biggest thing in aviation.

That is HOT - it hits the SPOT.

Yes! Seems like a giant leap forward for air travel!

I am impressed by it as a technology demonstrator. Not so much as a viable commercial product. People with millions to spend want a proven safety track record, redundancy and turbine reliability.

If it really does have totally laminar flow over the wings, wouldn't it have terribly sudden/scary stall characteristics?

This is so much more makes sense than any hyper car , this is should be given more attention to the public so the industry can grow, and common people can fly

I wonder if relying on fully laminar flow around the fuselage and wings might cause problems in the event of icing?

It doesn't look to me like the aspect ratio of the wings is much higher than that of other wings. Also, I wonder how much the hydrogen fueled drivetrain including storage cylinders is going to weigh. In the end it is all about fuel consumption per passenger kilometer/mile and it would surprise me a lot if this company manages to improve significantly upon what modern airliners achieve.

My only concern is that a fully laminar wing will stall everywhere at the same time = super dangerous!

This is gorgeous! I want to get type certified immediately!

Oh my goodness I would love to be able to ride on that. I hope the best for this country because this looks so promising

The design of the plane is giving me airship vibes. I wonder if the shape could be applied to a zeppelin, scaled up and given toroidal propellers. With the same engine, again, scaled up, it might be what the industry needs as a transport that straddles the area between fast, but expensive (not to mention, carbon intensive) heavy lift transport aircraft and the slow, but considerably cheaper, cargo ships sailing the oceans.

This aircraft is truly an incredible advancement in future of modern aviation. It's technology's will be integrated by other aircraft manufacturers in years to come. This aircraft is just amazing !!

Does the wing spar bisect the fuselage? That would get in the way. Strange COG balance with wings so far back.

The nose reminded me of the Bell X-1. A very cool fuel economy bird.

Wow. I wish them the best of luck, seems like a wonderful idea. The fact that the laminar flow benefits do not scale up reminds me of an old classic book _The Forty Knot Sailboat._ The author made models of his hydrofoil and airfoil boat, also optimized for laminar flow, and they scooted across the water at great speed. But he never got a full sized one to work, and I'm guessing it was because laminar flow does not scale up.

I give them points for doing something outside the norm with a considerable potential efficiency benefit. If investors want to put money into it good for them, the potential reward is there. It is very hard to get a new design all the way through certification and then on to commercial viability so the risk is there too. If you don't see it, don't invest.

What is the wing loading on this machine? What is the stall speed? How does it handle in a spin? Can it handle icing conditions? What is the landing speed? What is the ceiling? What is the range?

It seems to me to have been built for looks, and I bet it gets some!

I wonder if there are ways this can be scaled up past its current limits by ingesting boundary layer flow and using it to power the engine.

I get that it’s not truly a production model, but if we’re talking about passenger aircraft, they need to be able to hold large amounts of luggage and an excess of fuel in the event of an emergency. This design doesn’t seem to be effective for carrying passengers, fuel, and luggage, but we’ll see.

the window frames and gear doors trip the boundary layer... also all the little bugs... this isn't as "Laminar" as they suggest...

Maybe the big guys could use these to make up for bumping passengers on overbooked flights. They'd be a little slower, but you'd get the private plane experience :D BTW, room temperature superconductors have just been developed. So, better battery density, superconductors, and the new electric motors should make these things get super range. Say good bye to the TSA hassles (for a while).

When you start your video with a bogus hype premise, it diminishes the credibility of the rest of the video. Also, "25 mpg" is actually a deceptive stat in the aviation world.

Taxis going five hundred miles.

If this thing achieves any of those performances stated, I'll eat my hat!

Interesting, a bit similar to the design of the Pagasus 400 T, 4 years ago, an aircraft under development in Mexico by Oaxaca Aerospace

Has anyone combined the torroidal propeller concept to this plane? It's already in use on ships and aerial drones.

Assuming a weight of 3 tonnes, it would take 150 kW just to keep it airborn. Assuming a cruising speed of 300 mph, that works out at 7 mpg (not 18-25 mpg as stated), and that isn't even taking into account the horrendous ICE engine inefficiency or drag. I'm calling BS :(((

Peter should take a drive up Guanella Pass in Colorado and look how Xcel stores energy at the Lower Creek Hydro Electric Reservoir.

Great stuff. But, although I'm a glider pilot and love my planes, I have a feeling that the way forward to reduce CO2 emissions from aviation may ultimately be to do a lot less of it, especially in relation to 'non essential' travel. Also, we're fixed on the idea of being able to get from A to B fast. But is that really so important, in an age of ultra fast and powerful communications. I think the shape of the future has yet to truly emerge from the fog. But, this is a great little plane from what I can see and hopefully will do well in the niche executive transport sector.

Everything has its place in aviation, but I'm getting real dustbin vibes from this one. It's just a bit too ahead of its time. It would probably work better for kit builders, and start with a four seater. This would allow multiple models to look at, and as a company, a solid safety rating can be created and maintained before trying to sell it to the airlines. You also have to keep in mind that certification is extremely expensive and time consuming and in order to have an electric version as well, you would essentially be certifying two different aircraft. I hope they can pull it off, but I really don't see this going anywhere.