A Not Totally New Idea After All

Dean Sigler Electric Powerplants, Sustainable Aviation Leave a Comment

Delos Aerospace patented an electric landing gear system as early as 2007, according to their web site.  Steven Sullivan, an alert blog reader, provided the following lead for your editor. Delos says, “This revolutionary technology is a total systems integration of a fully electric landing gear and maneuvering system wherein axial flux disk motor/generators replace the old friction disk technology providing increased braking and maneuvering capability to the aircraft wherein there are many engineering benefits to eliminating the heat generated within friction based braking systems.” Use of these brakes could reduce takeoff distances and increase range by reducing fuel weight otherwise required for takeoff and cruise.  Power would come from an auxiliary power unit (APU), currently part of most large jet aircraft, that would generate electricity to allow the wheels to “drive” the airplane from its parking space to the runway for takeoff, or on landing to take the airplane down the taxiway to its concourse gate.  These maneuvers alone …