Bullet plane promises low-cost revolution in the skies

A US company has unveiled a futuristic ‘executive jet’ that could be hired for the price of an airline ticket.

A photo of US company Otto Aviation's 'bullet' plane Celera 500L, supplied by the company.

Private plane travel could be coming to the masses. A US company has unveiled a futuristic aircraft billed as an alternative to executive jets which can be hired for the price of an airline ticket.

Developed in secret for a decade, the bullet-shaped plane, the Celera 500L, has intrigued the aviation world since it was spotted at Victorville in the Mojave high desert in 2017.

Otto Aviation unveiled its creation during the week, saying the revolutionary plane had made 31 test flights since November and proved itself to be “the most fuel-efficient, commercially viable aircraft in existence”.

The makers claim performance that seems incredible by conventional standards.

Driven by a 12-cylinder diesel engine that turns a “pusher” propeller on its tail, the plane is said to fly at 450mph (724km/h), the speed of light jets, with operating costs of £250 ($453) an hour, six times lower than similar-sized business jets.

Fuel consumption at 18 to 25 miles (29km to 40km) a gallon (about 3.8 litres) is an eighth of that of a small jet.

The wide bullet shape of the six-passenger, fixed-wing aircraft promotes laminar flow, meaning that the oncoming air passes around its fuselage and wings smoothly without the turbulence that causes drag in more conventional craft.

Bill Otto, a veteran aerospace scientist who founded the company, said the Celera was due to enter service in 2023. It was the ideal plane for the post-coronavirus world, he said.

It would serve as a long-distance air taxi for families or small groups with seats costing no more per person than a commercial flight. “Of course, we didn’t anticipate Covid-19 but there are enhanced market opportunities in being able to afford to fly with only those you choose to,” he told CNN.

Unlike the slow, short-range drone-style air taxis under development, the Celera will have a relatively long range and will be able to fly non-stop anywhere in America, for example, its makers claim.

“Our goal was to create a private aircraft that would allow for direct flights between any city pair in the US at speeds and cost comparable to commercial air travel,” Mr Otto said.

While other plane-makers are racing to build electric or hybrid aircraft, the Celera is betting on internal combustion. Its German-made Red Aircraft A03 powerplant can burn jet fuel or bio-diesel, producing more than 550hp.

The company is planning a second model, twice the size of its 500, which may use a hybrid electric and internal combustion engine.

The Times