TriFan 600 By XTI Aerospace The TriFan 600 has been under development since 2013 and it is now 2025 and there has not been that much tangible information on the progress of this project. However, recent news from the airframer has shed new light on the progress of this aircraft. Just this past Friday in a quarterly financial report XTI Aerospace suggested the program is having 'steady' progress.
The use and advantage case for the TriFan is it combines the agility of a helicopter with the speed and range of a business jet. 270-knots with a range of around 1,000 nautical miles are some of the expected figures for the XTI Aerospace TriFan 600. eVTOLs cannot boast these figures as these aircraft typically ranges from 100 to 200 mph or around 87-knots to 174-knots.
“During the second quarter, we made measurable strides toward our goal to bring the TriFan 600 to market as a game-changing aircraft for both commercial and defense applications,” said XTI chairman and CEO Scott Pomeroy. “Our engineering teams achieved foundational milestones, from finalizing the global finite element model (GFEM) for the latest configuration to selecting drivetrain supplier-partners, all while progressing critical FAA certification efforts.”
The company has not suggested a timeline for FAA certification though. In terms of the GFEM, the company has completed this past April that GFEM which is a detailed digital twin of the TriFan 600. It allows engineers to analyze the aircraft’s structural integrity and load distribution. Coming into the third quarter, XTI signed a memorandum of understanding with MagLev Aero on July 3. This was to evaluate the integration of MagLev’s HyperDrive magnetic propulsion technology into its hybrid-electric aircraft architecture. Earlier this year the airframer met with the FAA to discuss the process towards FAA certification. They are also in the process of developing a sub-scale demonstrator but no concrete timeline on a first flight. For more information: XTI Aerospace Englewood, CO www.xtiaerospace.com ***
