Heart Aerospace has rolled out its ES-30, a larger, more capacious version of the original ES-19. As the two designations suggest, the earlier ES-19 was to hold 19 passengers while the ES-30 will haul 30. The expanded size and capability are understandable. The crew required to carry 19 can fly 30 just as easily, with lower costs per passenger – of vital interest to regional carriers.
Heart Aerospace, founded in 2019, has accomplished a lot in five years. Anders and Klara Forslund co-founded the firm with, “The aim of electrifying short-haul regional aviation.” They express this in their mission statement. “Heart Aerospace has a clear mission. We work to decarbonize and democratize air travel. We believe in electrification. Not only to bring down emissions and build a sustainable future, but to make flying accessible for the many, around the world.”
This 2022 introduction of the ES-30 shows the formidable range of companies willing to invest in this new technology and vision for regional air transport.
Anders and Klara make a good team. Anders has, “A Ph.D. in Aerospace Product Development and a B.Sc. in Engineering Physics from Chalmers. He has a dual M.Sc. in Astronautics and Space Engineering from Cranfield University and Luleå University, as a part of the SpaceMaster program. He is also a member of the Prince Daniel fellowship for young entrepreneurs.” A major contributor to “The research project Elise-Electric Aviation in Sweden, funded by the Swedish Innovation Agency Vinnova. He spent 2013-2014 at MIT, where his work on geometric variation of aerospace components was awarded the Charles M. Manly Memorial Medal. He is also a founding member of the Nordic Network for Electric Aviation.”
His partner Klara Forslund is co-founder and CBO of Heart Aerospace. and, “Assumed early responsibility for hiring, operations, accounting, marketing and social media.” Before cofounding an aviation company, she was a Project Coordinator for the City of Gothenburg. Adding the humanities to the firm’s leadership, Klara has a B.Sc. in Cognitive Neuroscience from Skövde University.
The ES-30
The ES-30 can land and take off from an 1,100 meter (3,609 feet) airstrip, That’s comfortable for small Cessnas and typical of regional airports dotted all over America (or Sweden). Currently undergoing ground support demonstrations, the craft seems to be fit in well with existing facilities. Regional air travel has the advantage of using what otherwise would be out-of-the-way fields, those which might prove to be closer to important industrial or commercial areas than to major or international fields. check-ins and luggage handling are quicker and lines are shorter at regional airports. Altogether, the experience is less stressful and “friendlier” than flying from major airports.
The ES-30 seems ideally suited to regional flight. Seating 30, the airplane is quickly loaded, with recharging at 30 minutes being quick enough to allow departing passengers to exit the plane and boarding passengers t0 find their seats. That charge will be sufficient for a 200 kilometer (124 mile) trip on battery power alone. Beyond that, a reserve hybrid system kicks in, twin turbines running on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) power a generator that powers the motors for flights up to 800 kilometers (496 miles) with 25 passengers aboard. At your editor’s guestimated cruise speed between 150 and 200 mph, times between regional fields would be comparable to the door-to-door times promised by many eVTOL (electric Vertical Take Off and Landing) competitors.
Broad Acceptance
Wikipedia reports, “With 250 orders, 120 options, and 191 letters of intent, Heart Aerospace plans to have an uncrewed demonstrator fly in 2025 in the Los Angeles area, with a piloted prototype’s first flight expected in 2026.” With major orders and interest from United, Mesa (a regional subsidiary of United), Air Asia, Loganair, JSX and others, firm seems to be on solid financial ground. A recent patent for more efficient motor nacelles, incorporation of Honeywell flight controls and recent demonstrations of airport accommodations for this new and different flight technology shows a spirit willing to explore new paths.
ES-30 cabin includes galley, restroom
The company seems confident to move into even larger aircraft, with a 50-passenger ES-50 in the works.
Several comments from aviation web sites suggest some skepticism about regional airliners and shorter-range flights. Your editor has long been a proponent of regional aviation; electric regional craft and the convenience of smaller airports may help expand acceptance of that view. Heart Aerospace seems to be in good company with Eviation, ZeroAvia, and several other purveyors of what may become community aviation.