Airbus Group plans to further develop the E-Fan technology

demonstrator and to produce and market two versions of

the aircraft by a subsidiary named VoltAir. The two-seater
version E-Fan 2.0 will be a fully electric training aircraft
powered only by batteries. The four-seater version E-Fan 4.0
will be a training and general aviation aircraft which will also
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Airbus Group
Corporate Technical Office

81663 Munich
Germany
12 rue Pasteur
92152 Suresnes Cedex
France
have a combustion engine within the fuselage to provide an
extended range or endurance. In partnership with reknown
aviation supplier companies as well as with local SMEs in
the Aquitaine region, a production facility is to be built at the
Bordeaux Mrignac airport, which shall also include a training
establishment for pilots.
E-Fan 4.0

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E-Fan 2.0
The E-Fan demonstrator is part of Airbus Groups on-going
hybrid and electrical propulsion system research, which
has seen hybrid concept studies for a full-scale helicopter,
the successful development of a Cri-Cri ultralight modified as
the worlds first four-engine all-electric aerobatic aircraft, the
demonstration flights of a hybrid electric motor glider (for which
Airbus Group Innovations developed the battery system) the
flight testing of a short-range mini-unmanned aerial vehicle with
an advanced fuel cell, and the integration of a piston diesel
engine into the TANAN UAV as well as the concept study of a
hybrid-electric propulsion system for this rotorcraft.
Airbus Group Innovations is the corporate network of
research centres of Airbus Group. A highly skilled workforce
of more than 800 is operating the laboratories that guarantee
Airbus Group technical innovation potential with a focus on
the long-term. The structure of the network and the teams
within Airbus Group Innovations are organised in global and
transnational Technical Capabilities Centres:
Composites technologies
Metallic technologies and surface engineering
Vehicle integration industrial and support processes
Electronics, communication and intelligent systems
Systems engineering, information technology and applied
mathematics
Energy and propulsion
Design and Projects
Technology demonstrator of an electrically-powered,
all-composite general aviation training aircraft
E-FAN
E-Fan 02
E-FAN: THE FIRST
PURPOSE-BUILT,
ELECTRICALLY POWERED
TRAINER AIRCRAFT
Innovative propulsion system concepts for future air
vehicle applications are being developed by Airbus Group
Innovations, the corporate research and technology arm of
Airbus Group, in partnerships with academia, electrical system
suppliers, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), as
well as large companies from both inside and outside the
aerospace sector.
These developments are part of the aerospace sector's
research to support the aviation industrys ambitious
environmental protection goals as spelled out in the European
Commissions roadmap report called Flightpath 2050
Europes Vision for Aviation. This report sets the targets of
reducing aircraft CO
2
emissions by 75%, along with reductions
of nitrous oxides (NOx) by 90% and noise levels by 65%,
compared to standards of the year 2000.
The all-electric E-Fan training aircraft has zero carbon
dioxide emissions in flight and should bring a significant
reduction in noise around airfields, thus improving relations
between local residents and flight schools with long-term
prospects for the discreet and economical initial training of
future professional pilots.
The two-seat E-Fan is particularly suited for short missions
such as basic pilot training, glider towing and aerobatics,
with a flight endurance of one hour for pilot training and 30
minutes for aerobatics. E-Fan can bring significant benefits in
terms of cost per flight hour in the general aviation domain.
Small electric aircraft are seen as a key step towards
introducing electric propulsion on larger aircraft. The E-Fan
is a highly innovative technology demonstrator and a flying
03
E-Fan
The first flight of the E-Fan technology demonstrator took place at the
Bordeaux Mrignac airport on March 11, 2014.
E-FAN PROJECT
HISTORY
The E-Fan project originated during the 2011 Paris
Airshow, as a follow-on to the first cooperation between
Airbus Group Innovations and Aerocomposites Saintonge
(ACS) on the Cri-Cri the worlds first fully electric four
engine aerobatic plane. Using the Cri-Cri as a test
bed and flying laboratory, numerous performance
flight tests allowed the engineers to gain experience with
the integration of batteries and energy management,
while research focused on energy recovery and variable
propeller pitch. This work became the basis for the
E-Fan project.
Airbus Group Innovations has the overall responsibility
for the project and, in particular, develops the data
management and the eFADEC system managing the
energy flows, while ACS, Didier Esteyne and their partners
work on the other parts of the aircraft. The E-Fan design
process began in late 2011 and the final go-ahead for
the technology demonstrator was given in October 2012.
The E-Fan was developed in record time, allowing the
presentation of the aircraft in the static park of the Paris
Airshow 2013.
The first flight of the E-Fan technology demonstrator
took place at the Bordeaux Mrignac airport on
March 11, 2014. Flight testing is in progress and
noise measurements are planned which will include
comparisons with conventionally powered aircraft. It is
also planned to present the aircraft at the ILA Berlin and
Farnborough airshows in 2014. test bed, stimulating research in electric propulsion and
also helping to promote the certification of electrical flight
concepts. The E-Fan project is supported by the French
Directorate General for Civil Aviation (DGAC) as well as
regional government institutions in southwest France, and
involves an association between Airbus Group Innovations,
SMEs and academia.
Airbus Group Innovations is committed to supporting
SMEs in France (and elsewhere) and to investing in their
local areas, in jobs and in skills. Support is therefore given to
partners in further developing this demonstrator, with the aim
of progressing to a fully certified commercial product and to
industrialize the manufacturing of the aircraft at a competitive
price as well as marketing it through appropriate distribution
channels.
E-Fan 04
E-FAN INNOVATIONS
The E-Fan is an entirely new concept for an electric
aircraft, whose design started with a clean sheet of paper.
It is the first purpose-built electric powered training aircraft.
All other models to date are based on existing conventionally-
powered airframes; there have been no attempts to date
to commercialize a fully electric aircraft. The E-Fans
aerodynamics, such as the integration of the landing gear into
the fuselage for low drag, and the energy management and
safety features were designed from the outset specifically
for electrical propulsion.
The DGAC requested that the E-Fans flight parameters
be similar to those of existing training aircraft to avoid
completely new training requirements. However, the
performance of the aircraft is revolutionary in terms of noise
reduction, there are no CO
2
emissions in-flight and vibrations
are significantly reduced compared to aircraft powered
by combustion engines. The E-Fan was designed to be
compatible with flight training and aeroclub requirements, such
as hangar parking space and flight endurance. With electrical
propulsion, there is no reduction of performance at altitude
and in hot weather, no propeller torque effects and no
vibration, providing a very smooth flight.
As a first for an electrically powered aircraft, the E-Fan features
a pyrotechnically deployed airframe parachute rescue
system.
E-FADEC
An optimised electrical energy management system (e-FADEC)
is integrated into the aircraft, which automatically handles
all electrical features, thereby simplifying the monitoring and
controlling of the systems. The e-FADEC reduces the pilots
workloads, allowing the instructor and the student to fly the
aircraft and focus on the training mission.
ELECTRIC MOTORS
E-Fan propulsion is provided by two electric motors with a
combined power of 60 kiloWatt, each driving a ducted,
variable pitch fan. The duct increases the static thrust, it reduces
the perceived noise and improves safety on the ground. With the
engines located close to the centre-line of the aircraft, the E-Fan
has very good controllability in single-engine flight.
1 Inboard profile shows the major elements of the E-Fan's
all-composite structure
2 Plan view and cross-sections of the wing show the E-Fan's
battery installation
05
E-Fan
1
BATTERY SYSTEM
The E-Fans motors are powered by a series of 250 Volt
Lithium-ion polymer batteries made by KOKAM in the
Republic of Korea. They are housed within the inboard part
of the wings outside the cockpit, and provided with venting
and passive cooling. Because of timing and availability
constraints, off-the-shelf Lithium polymer batteries are used in
the technology demonstrator, giving an endurance of between
45 min. and 1 hour. New batteries with a higher energy density
will be installed later on, which will increase the endurance to
up to 1 hour + 15 minutes reserve.
The batteries can be recharged in one hour, or they can be
rapidly replaced by means of a quick-change system (not yet
available on the demonstrator aircraft). An on-board 24 Volt
electrical network supplies the avionics and the radios via a
converter. A backup battery is provided for emergency landing
purposes.
Extensive research and stress testing has proven that
the E-Fan battery system provides ample safety margins.
Close monitoring of all battery cell parameters is performed
during test flights.
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E-Fan 06
LANDING GEAR
Another innovation of the E-Fan is its landing gear, which consists of two
electrically-actuated retractable wheels positioned fore and aft under the
fuselage, plus two small wheels under the wings. The aft main wheel is
driven by a 6 kiloWatt electric motor, providing power for taxiing and
acceleration up to 60 km/h during take-off, reducing overall electrical power
consumption in day-to-day operation. The manoeuvering of the aircraft on
the ground and the initial acceleration on take-off without the main engines
can so be done completely silent.
Taxiing and initial acceleration at take-off without the use of the fans
saves energy and is completely silent.
07
E-Fan
TELEMETRY SYSTEM
The E-Fan is equipped with a telemetry system to record all propulsion,
battery and engine parameters and transmit them to a ground station.
Also included are several video cameras for safety purposes to maintain
contact with the pilot and to monitor flight parameters, but also for research
and, not least, for the validation and certification process. In the E-Fan's
flight training role, the monitoring of flight parameters will ensure that
comprehensive feedback can be given to the student pilot a feature that
will also contribute to the development of flight training programmes.
E-Fan 08
E-FAN INSTITUTIONAL
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
The E-Fan project is receiving funding from the French Directorate General
for Civil Aviation (Direction Gnrale de lAviation Civile, DGAC) as well as
from regional government institutions in southwest France.
FEDER (European Regional Development Fund)
The Dpartement Charente-Maritime
The Rgion Aquitaine
09
E-Fan
E-FAN CORE TEAM
AERO COMPOSITES
SAINTONGE (ACS)
(SME, Saint Sulpice near Royan, in the Charentes-Maritime
Department) specialising in the application of composite
materials, has the responsibility for:
Aerodynamic studies and computer-aided design
for the aircraft
Wind tunnel testing
Construction of all composite parts, except for
the wings
Construction and mechanical assembly of the landing
gear and flight controls, as well as the aircrafts electrical
circuits and instrument panel
Static testing of the propulsion assemblies
(motors, fans)
Integration and final assembly of the aircraft
Ground and flight tests
Test pilot: Didier Esteyne
AIRBUS GROUP
INNOVATIONS
(Suresnes near Paris)
Overall project management
Development of the overall aircraft energy management
system (e-FADEC)
Battery development support
Simulations
Electrical architecture and electro-magnetic compatibility
(EMC) support
Calculations, expertise and support for the composite
structure and the manufacturing of aluminum parts, such
as the landing gear and flight control linkages
Electrical engineering experts from Airbus Group
Innovations, Airbus Group Defence and Space and Airbus
Group Helicopters supported the testing of the battery
cells and battery packs at Airbus Group Innovations
operations in Ottobrunn near Munich and Airbus Group
Defence and Spaces operations in Toulouse, France.
Airbus support was provided with final assembly
personnel and with the design of the aircraft's livery
E-Fan 10
MAPAERO
Aerospace
Coatings
(Pamiers, Dpartement Arige)
MAPAERO is specialist in aeronautical paints and
a pioneer in the development of water-based paint
technology used in aeronautics. It provided the high-
quality paint for the E-Fan.
A3iP
(SME, Nantes)
A3IP is an electronics design office that specialises in the
production (design, routing, prototyping, manufacture)
of tailor-made printed circuit boards. Within the E-Fan
project, A3iP is in charge of:
The electrical network
Assembly of battery cells
Managing the battery pack monitoring
Designing and manufacturing the motor controllers
RFTronic
(SME, Rochefort)
RF Tronic Ingnierie specialises in the development,
manufacture and integration of on-board communication
systems for civil and military applications. For the E-Fan,
it is responsible for:
Design and integration of the air-to-ground telemetry
system and the flight data recorder
Development of an analysis software to display the
technical flight parameters
CRITT
MATRIAUX
(Rochefort)
The Poitou-Charentes Regional Centre for Material
Innovation and Technology Transfer (Centre Rgional
dInnovation et de Transfert de Technologie Matriaux
Poitou-Charentes CRITT MPC) is an independent
laboratory specialising in polymer, composite and metal
materials, as well as structural bonding. CRITT MPC is
responsible for the aero carbon composite project
financed by the Poitou-Charentes FEDER programme,
the French State and the Dpartment Charente Maritime
and thereby in charge of calculations and structural
validation testing of the E-Fan wings.
CRITT Matriaux is supported by ISAE-ENSMA, Institut
Pprime and C3T.
ISAE-ENSMA
(Poitiers Futuroscope,
Rgion Poitou-Charentes)
The ENSMA has trained more than 5,000 high-level
engineers. This training is based on world-class research,
developed through numerous partnerships with leading
companies in the fields of transport, mechanics and
energy specifically the aerospace sector.
Institut Pprime
(Poitiers Futuroscope,
Rgion Poitou-Charentes)
The Institut Pprime is a physical sciences and
engineering sciences research laboratory provides
scientific support for the design of the E-Fan's main spar
and the wing.
C3T
(SME, La Rochelle)
C3 Technologies is a company whose core business is
the manufacture of technical composite parts subjected
to intense mechanical stresses. C3 Technologies is now
one of the leading French and European suppliers of
technical parts, for example, for yacht racing.
Construction of spars and wings
E-FAN PARTNERS
I n g n i e r i e
11
E-Fan
Wing span: 9.50 m
Length: 6.67 m
Empty weight: 500 kg
Lift/drag ratio: 16
Total engine power: 60 kiloWatt
Battery system: 120 cells
(Lithium Polymer)
Battery rated capacity: 40 Ah per cell
4 Volt per cell
Endurance: 45 min 1 hour
Take-off speed: 110 km/h
Cruise speed: 160 km/h
Max. speed: 220 km/h
E-FAN
TECHNICAL DATA