Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Otto Aviation unveils Celera 500L, an ultra-efficient passenger aircraft

The North American company Otto Aviation has officially unveiled the “Celera 500L,” a long-range, most fuel-efficient commercially viable passenger aircraft in the world. The Celera 500L has been designed as a cost-effective alternative to private business jets. The main task of the creators was to reduce fuel consumption and increase the efficiency of the aircraft, without reducing speed and flight range.

The Celera 500L is a six-passenger aircraft with which Otto Aviation says it will revolutionize private air transport, making it more accessible and reducing CO2 emissions. In the tail section of the fuselage, there is a high-efficiency Raikhlin Aircraft Engine Developments (RED) A03 V12 piston engine, which has a multi-stage turbocharger and can run on Jet A1 fuel, as well as kerosene or biodiesel.

The aircraft has a maximum cruise speed of 450 mph and a range of over 4,500 miles.
The aircraft has a maximum cruise speed of 450 mph and a range of over 4,500 miles. Credit: Otto Aviation

The prototype of the aircraft has a maximum cruise speed of 450 mph (724 km/h) and a range of over 4,500 miles (7,242 km) and an astounding fuel economy of only 18 to 25 miles (29 to 40 km) per gallon. Superior comfort is delivered through a spacious cabin with a 6’2″ height, plus six equivalent first-class seats that come in a customizable configuration.

The aircraft utilizes extensive laminar flow over the fuselage, wings, and tail surfaces to reduce drag and achieve superior aerodynamics, speed, and fuel efficiency, the company stated. The manufacturing detail delivers cruise efficiencies unmatched by conventional aircraft while offering a clean-sheet design that will completely alter the way people and parcels travel.

Celera 500L Interior View.
Celera 500L Interior View. Credit: Otto Aviation

The dramatic reduction in fuel consumption makes ‘Celera 500L environmentally friendly airplane in its class and presents a major leap forward in the effort to develop a zero-emission air transportation system.’

The bullet-shaped aircraft offers many game-changing benefits to the passengers and the environment. Some of the passenger benefits include the ability to travel privately at costs comparable to commercial airline tickets. The aircraft further gives direct access to over 5,000 regional airports, allowing passengers to avoid airport congestion and arrive closer to their destinations. It also gives direct service between any city pair in the continental United States.

The Celera 500L’s reduction in carbon emissions beats FAA and ICAO target emissions standards for aircraft entering service in or after 2031 by over 30%. Operating expenses will be no more than $328 per hour, against $2,100 for modern business jets. The environmental benefits also involve the reduction in carbon emissions by over 80% compared to a similar business aircraft and by 40% compared to the latest commercial transport aircraft.

The first flight of the aircraft took place in November 2019, and since then, it has successfully completed 31 test flights that validate its operational performance targets. Otto Aviation plans to undergo FAA certification by 2023, and by 2025 to establish production to begin delivering aircraft to customers.