X-1 Demonstrator By Heart Aerospace Green-Lit For Flight Tests Good news for the Heart Aerospace program as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has granted permission to the company for it to commence flight testing of its X-1 Demonstrator, the precursor to its regional hybrid-electric airliner -the ES-30-. The permission involves a special airworthiness certificate in the experimental category (SAC-EC). This now permits the company to commence flight testing from Plattsburgh International Airport (KPBG).
Heart Aerospace has been relatively quiet regarding the development of their program especially after they made the move from Sweden to the United States. However, the company has been engaged in extensive ground flights and testing of the X-1. Ground testing that involved low speed and high-speed taxi testing, propulsion tests, structure testing of the airframe and equipment testing.
Heart Aerospace will be utilizing the X-1 demonstrator to confirm flight characteristics and key technologies, generating data it needs to complete development of the aircraft. To further the development of the program, a second demonstrator aircraft will be built and fielded to be called X-2. The finished ES-30 will measure around 76-feet long with a wing span of 106-feet and have a maximum takeoff wight of approximately 25,000 lbs. For more information: Heart Aerospace 1830 West 205th Street Torrance, CA 90501 United States www.heartaerospace.com ***
