The AirCraft Company unveils last member of Pangea aircraft family SY50J

Kansas-based regional aviation startup The AirCraft Company has revealed the last member of its Pangea family of aircraft, the SY50J (pictured below). 

With a baseline seating capability of 50 seats, the aircraft will be the largest in the Pangea family. Like the SY30J — the first aircraft to be announced by the company — the SY50J will have wheelchair access and will be single pilot operation (SPO) capable. Entry into service is planned for late 2030s.

Mario Asselin, CEO and co-founder said: “The AirCraft Company has conceptually validated the newest and largest member of the Pangea family of hybrid-electric regional airliners, the SY50J.

“Airlines will now have options to replace all those old regional jets and turboprops of the 30 to 70 seats capacity. The Pangea family offers a new airframe designed with the latest technology, the use of AI in the cockpit and common crew qualification. The hybrid-electric powertrain will offer unparalleled operating economics.”

The SY50J joins the SY30J, a 30-seat hybrid-electric regional aircraft; SY30J cargo; SY30J City Connector, a corporate variant; and SY30J Special Mission (family pictured above).

According to Asselin’s research, turbofans and turboprops are between 18-28% efficient when converting fuel into thrust. With electric propulsion, he is confident of achieving 80%. 

Asselin uses the example of turbofans and turboshafts, the engines that power today’s regional aircraft. If you look at the Boeing 737, it started as a Dash 100 and now is a Max aircraft, during that time the weight of the engine has grown so much the minimum weight of the aircraft has increased too. So, yes, it is more efficient, but you are adding more weight to carry the more efficient engine. 

“I said I can do the same with batteries and I know turbofans and turboshafts are highly inefficient if they go to lower values. There is not so much impact on electric motors,” said Asselin.