A few years ago, gossip was going around about a mysterious bullet-shaped plane seen in California. Its odd form led to much speculation. Well, wonder no more! The aircraft, called the Celera 500L, has been revealed, and it’s as impressive as you could imagine. It’s a six-seater plane made by Yorba Linda-based Otto Aviation that can fly as fast as a jet of comparable size, but twice as far and with eight times lower fuel consumption.
The manufacturer proved the Celera 500L’s aerodynamic efficiency in 2019. It has so far performed 31 successful test flights. It says that the plane truly is the most fuel-efficient, commercially viable aircraft in existence. It can fly between 18 to 25 miles on a gallon of fuel. A comparable jet aircraft, on the other hand, can only do 2 to 3 miles per gallon. The operating cost ends up being only $328 per hour – about six times less than a similar-sized aircraft.
The rear-engined plane has a 4,500 nautical mile range and cruises at over 460 miles per hour. With figures like that, the flight could service almost every city pairing in the country without refueling. Its German-built RED A03 engine is certified to operate on Jet A1 and biodiesel.
CEO Bill Otto Jr. told CNN:
Our goal has always been to create a safe and private aircraft that would allow for direct flights in the US at speeds and cost comparable to commercial air travel. We believe the Celera 500L is the biggest thing to happen to both the aviation and travel industries in 50 years. Beyond using our aircraft for passenger travel, it can also be used for cargo operations and military applications. Since the results from our prototype test flights have been so promising, we’re ready to bring the Celera 500L to market.
The reason Otto’s aircraft can accomplish all this is down to laminar flow – the smooth, minimum drag solution for aircraft surfaces. It achieves an uninterrupted flow of air over the wings and other parts of the aircraft while in flight.
The prototype has no windows; however, the production plane will. Otto says the windows will have no impact on the laminar flow because they will be mounted flush with the exterior surface and have the same contours as the fuselage.
The cabin has a 6-foot 2-inch (1.88 meters) height and six first class-type seats with customizable configuration.
To get the Celera 500L market-ready, the startup now needs to carry out the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification process and then find a site for a manufacturing facility. The first commercial deliveries of the plane are expected to happen by 2025 if all goes well.
Otto said:
Launching amid the current aviation landscape has only bolstered what we aim to provide with the Celera 500L. We believe that when the price of private air travel is competitive with commercial air travel, an enormous market opportunity will result. In many cases, individuals and families will be able to charter the Celera 500L at prices comparable to commercial airfares, but with the convenience of private aviation.
And that’s the goal! By making such a cost-efficient aircraft, the company can charge less for a ticket. When the air-taxi market is affordable, it’ll surely be attractive to the consumer.
Another very intriguing low-emissions aircraft to make its debut recently was the Airlander 10.
However, that’s an airship – a different kind of craft entirely. What’s most impressive about it, aside from its 75% fewer emissions, is how it can stay in the sky for days!
Some high hopes are coming from the aviation industry these days for sure.
