Zunum Aero ZA10

Hybrid-Electric Regional Airliner Aircraft

United States | 2022

"The Zunum ZA10 is an in-development, hybrid-electric regional airliner set to utilize a single gas turbine driving generators to power a twin ducted fan approach."

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 10/30/2020 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

Image from official Zunum Aero marketing material.

Zunum Aero is a start-up aircraft concern based in scenic Kirkland, Washington and its current (2018) stable involves three distinct passenger-minded, hybrid-electric-powered airliner forms including the "ZA10" regional variant. The ZA10 project was revealed in April of 2017 and launched in early October of 2017. The current plan is to have a flyable version available for testing in 2020 with first-deliveries tentatively scheduled for 2022.

The technology behind the aircraft involves a single gas turbine driving a pair of generators coupled with wing-mounted battery packs for consistent, reliable, extended, and efficient flying - lowering operating costs for a regional airliner type by as much as 60% to 80%.

The current ZA10 design sees a traditional arrangement involving a sleek, aerodynamically-refined fuselage. The propulsion (electric ducted fan) units are held outboard along the aft section of the fuselage on wingstubs to reduce noise and direct output centrally. The nose has a short, downward-sloping nosecone with two-piece windshield for the side-by-side seated pilots (an unmanned option is also being examined). The wing mainplanes are set low along the fuselage sides and are positioned at midships. Each mainplane has a slightly up-turned wingtip. The tail unit involves outward-cranked vertical fins, negating the need for horizontal planes. The sides of the fuselage are dotted with rounded, rectangular windows. Access doors are featured forward and aft of the passenger section. A conventional, retractable tricycle landing gear arrangement will be used for ground-running.

Dimensionally, the aircraft is being drawn up with a wingspan of 52 feet, a length of 42 feet and a height of 18 feet. Maximum Take-Off Weight (MTOW) is set for 11,500lb.

Beyond this is full-digital, responsive Fly-By-Wire (FbW) controlling, single-touch interfacing, optimized energy delivery, variable-pitch electric propulsors, and built-in systems modularity for future expansion/upgrades.

In a basic seating arrangement, the aircraft will be able to haul around twenty-seven persons in quiet comfort, the arrangement encompassing six in executive seating, nine in premium seating and twelve in economy seating. The aircraft is touted with an 8-cent seat-per-mile ($250 per hour) operating cost.

Current estimated performance specifications see the aircraft reaching out to over 700 miles and cruising near 340 miles per hour. Take-off distance is listed as 2,200 feet and its service ceiling is 25,000 feet. Rate-of-climb is 1,600 feet-per-minute. This will give the aircraft enough range for routes from Memphis to Chicago or New York and Seattle to San Jose (coast-to-coast-travel not currently possible).

A Rockwell Turbo Commander aircraft has been acquired by Zunum to serve as the project's flying testbed.

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September 2018 - Safran Helicopter Engines of France has been selected as the engine supplier for the ZA10. The company will deliver a modified version of its Ardiden 3 (3Z) series turboshaft engine rated between 1,700 and 2,000 horsepower (certified as recently as 2013). This powerplant will become the centerpiece of the 500kW turbo-generator and work in conjunction with the battery packs, all three components feeding the twin 500kW electric ducted fans. Testing on the system is scheduled for sometime in 2019 (to take place in France).

Power & Performance
Those special qualities that separate one aircraft design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the Zunum Aero ZA10 Hybrid-Electric Regional Airliner Aircraft.

1 x Safran Helicopter Engines Ardiden 3Z turboshaft engine developing between 1,700 and 2,000 horsepower driving 2 x Electric ducted fans; 1 x Electric generator; Wing battery packs.
Propulsion

342 mph
550 kph | 297 kts
Max Speed

24,934 ft
7,600 m | 5 miles
Service Ceiling

702 miles
1,130 km | 610 nm
Operational Range

1,600 ft/min
488 m/min
Rate-of-Climb

City-to-City Ranges
Operational range when compared to distances between major cities (in KM).

NYC

LON

PAR

BER

MOS

TOK

SYD

LAX

NYC

Structure
The nose-to-tail, wingtip-to-wingtip physical qualities of the Zunum Aero ZA10 Hybrid-Electric Regional Airliner Aircraft.

1
(MANNED)
Crew

42.7 ft
13.00 m
O/A Length

52.5 ft
(16.00 m)
O/A Width

18.0 ft
(5.50 m)
O/A Height

8,201 lb
(3,720 kg)
Empty Weight

11,497 lb
(5,215 kg)
MTOW

Design Balance
The three qualities reflected below are altitude, speed, and range. The more full the box, the more balanced the design.

RANGE

ALT

SPEED

Variants
Notable series variants as part of the Zunum Aero ZA10 family line.

ZA10 - Base Series Designation.

Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the Zunum Aero ZA10. Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national aircraft listing.

Total Production: 0 Units
Contractor(s): Zunum Aero - USA

[ United States (possible) ]

Relative Max Speed

Hi: 400mph

Lo: 200mph

Aircraft Max Listed Speed (342mph).

Graph Average of 300 MPH.

Era Crossover

Showcasing Aircraft Era Crossover (if any)

Max Alt Visualization

MACH Regime (Sonic)

Sub

Trans

Super

Hyper

HiHyper

ReEntry

♦

Aviation Timeline

EarlyYrs

WWI

Interwar

WWII

ColdWar

Postwar

Modern

Future

♦

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Image from official Zunum Aero marketing material.

2 / 3

Image from official Zunum Aero marketing material.

3 / 3

Image from official Zunum Aero marketing material.

❮ ❯

Mission Roles
Some designs are single-minded in their approach while others offer a more versatile solution to airborne requirements.

COMMERCIAL AVIATION

BIZJET

VIP SERVICE

UNMANNED

Recognition
Some designs stand the test of time while others are doomed to never advance beyond the drawing board; let history be their judge.

Military lapel ribbon representing modern aircraft

Going Further...
The Zunum Aero ZA10 Hybrid-Electric Regional Airliner Aircraft appears in the following collections:

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