FAA Certifies First Propeller Specifically For AAM Sector Hartzell has become the first company to be granted Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification for a propeller specifically designed for the Advanced Air Mobility (eVTOL) market. The company announced today that it had been given FAA-related certification for the propeller that will make its way on to BETA Technologies AAM aircraft. For the last few years the propeller has been testing on the CX300 which is BETA's CTOL (Conventional Take Off and Landing) version. The propeller will also be utilized on the eVTOL version, the ALIA 250.
"Hartzell Propeller is very pleased to work with Beta Technologies on this AAM breakthrough development," said Hartzell president JJ Frigge. "Our design specifically for Beta Technologies is a five-bladed, carbon fiber, ground-adjustable fixed pitch propeller that will have future applications for the entire AAM industry."
Both the Alia CX300 and Alia 250 have a single Hartzell propeller mounted on the aft end for forward propulsion, and these are powered by Beta’s own H500A electric engines. The eVTOL model (ALIA 250) has four additional two-bladed, top-mounted vertical lift propellers, each powered by a Beta V600A electric motor.
Maybe it is not surprising that Hartzell has become the first propeller company to achieve FAA certification for an aircraft in the Advanced Air Mobility sphere. Hartzell manufacturers a large number of the propellers for a large number turbine and piston aircraft around the world. It also is not a shock they were working on integrating one of their designs for BETA Technologies AAM efforts. Specifically, Hartzell Propellers received FAA Part 35 Type Certification. For more information: Hartzell Propeller Inc. One Propeller Place Piqua, Ohio 45356 www.hartzellprop.com ***
