Flying Whales Quebec signed a contract for the integration and supply of Honeywell’s generator for the development of the 200m long VTOL aircraft for the heavy load transport market.
Honeywell’s 1-megawatt generator has been chosen by Flying Whales Quebec to power its new hybrid-electric airship, the LCA60T. The two companies signed a contract for the integration and supply of Honeywell’s generator for the development of the 200-meter-long vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft for the heavy load transport market. Based in France and Canada, Flying Whales is developing the airship to transport renewable wood resources from hard-to-access areas.
“We are pleased and proud to welcome Honeywell, which joins us in developing the next generation of propulsion systems. This important collaboration completes and strengthens our Canadian consortium to develop and manufacture our high-power turbogenerator. Today, we are building in Canada the expertise and technological advancements for tomorrow’s aeronautics,” said Arnaud Thioulouse, chief executive officer, FLYING WHALES QUEBEC.
The Honeywell generator will supply electrical power to the electric engines and create a more efficient and sustainable form of travel, similar to the way hybrid-electric automobiles function. It can be used as a 1-megawatt motor without modifications for electric propulsion engines.
Arnaud Thioulouse, CEO, Flying Whales Quebec, said, “We are pleased and proud to welcome Honeywell, which joins us in developing the next generation of propulsion systems. This important collaboration completes and strengthens our Canadian consortium to develop and manufacture our high-power turbogenerator. Today, we are building in Canada the expertise and technological advancements for tomorrow’s aeronautics.”
The LCA60T is a heavy-duty rigid airship with a 60-tonne payload capacity, powered by a 4-megawatt hybrid electric propulsion chain. Flying Whales plans to manufacture 150 aircraft in the next 10 years and intends to fly the first LCA60T in 2025.
Vincent Guibout, Vice CEO, Flying Whales, said, “The signing of this contract with Honeywell, one of the world’s leading aerospace engineering companies, signals great technological advances in high-power electrical systems and demonstrates the key role of Flying Whales’ product to trigger innovation. Honeywell’s 1-megawatt generator will be integrated within the turbogenerator of the hybrid electric propulsion system. With this collaboration, not only are we equipping the LCA60T with the best technical solution for high-power onboard requirements, we are paving the way for a revolution in air transport.”
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The Honeywell generator has completed its first round of testing in May 2022 and achieved even more powerful results in subsequent tests. During the latest round of testing in late 2022, the megawatt generator operated at 1.06 MVA (1MW) power levels. The test demonstrated the generator’s high-power density (~8kw/kg) and efficiency (~97%), which are key enablers in hybrid-electric propulsion for both aerospace and ground applications.
