Eagle-eyed spotters around Southern California may have noticed something strange taking to the
skies. The Celera 500L is a forthcoming entrant to the business aircraft market
and is the most radical redesign of an aircraft we’ve seen in many decades.
Not only does it look futuristic, but it also promises to achieve fuel efficiency,
range, and operational costs that put its competitors in the shadows.
The brainchild of William Otto, founder of aviation accident investigation firm Otto
Laboratories, the Celera 500L is a strange blimp-like aircraft, seating up to six.
Otto Aviation says that the aircraft will boast a long-range, fast cruise and lower operational
costs, opening up business travel to a wider market of passengers. The zeppelin-shaped body
might be unusual to look at, but there’s a reason for its futuristic appearance.
The principle of the Celera is to make the most of laminar flow. This is the minimum drag solution
for aircraft surfaces, creating smooth airflow layers with little to no mixing taking place.
The Celera’s body design has been created to optimize the length to width ratio
and to maximize laminar flow. The end result is a 59% reduction in
drag compared to a similar-sized traditional aircraft. Otto Aviation says this will not
scale well for a larger aircraft, so don’t expect any blimp-like commercial planes any time soon.
But for an aircraft the size of the Celera, it’s an ideal solution.
According to the manufacturer, the plane can fly with fuel economy to rival some cars,
getting around 18 – 25 miles to the gallon. That compares to a regular jet aircraft that struggles
to achieve three miles per gallon. As such, operating costs can be as little as $328 per hour,
compared to the $2,100 per hour of a comparable jet aircraft.
In terms of its other stats, the aircraft can keep up with the competition in the business jet
and commuter jet market. Cruise speed is projected to be in excess of 460 miles per hour,
with a range of 4,500 nautical miles. Although it only carries six passengers,
they can all rest in comfort with a cabin height of 6’2”, and an all-business-class layout.
Compared to other aircraft in its class, such as the Beechcraft King Air 350 or the Citation CJ3+,
the cabin volume is bigger with the Celera. It has 448 cubic feet of cabin space, compared to
416 for the Beechcraft and 311 for the Citation. The powerplant is a Red A-zero-3 engine, which is
a liquid-cooled V-12, six-cylinder bank, with each bank capable of completely independent operation.
The certification of the powerplant has already been given by EASA and the FAA, including
operation on both Jet A1 and biodiesel fuels. The company has already conducted more than 30
successful test flights and is targeting an entry into service around 2023 – 2025.
This year, Otto Aviation is looking to begin the FAA Certification process for the aircraft
and to create its initial order book. What’s your reaction to the design and
anticipated performance of this new business aircraft? Let us know in the comments.