Comparison of Sustainable Regional Aircraft Concepts

Kurzfassung

The presentation shows a comparison between three 70-seater aircraft concepts calculated within the DLR's internal EXACT project. All three concepts assume an entry into service of 2040 and are designed for operation with sustainable energy. The first concept is propelled with advanced turboprop engines fuelled by synthetic kerosene. The second concept is powered by fuel cells driven by liquid hydrogen. The third concept is a plug-in hybrid, i.e. a battery-electric aircraft with a gas turbine driving a generator that can be used as a range-extender. The three concepts are compared in terms of energy efficiency. The results show that the fuel cell aircraft requires around 30% less energy for average fleet operation, whereas the plug-in aircraft requires almost 50% less energy.