aeroG Aviation aG-4 Liberty

aG-4 Liberty
aeroG Aviation LLC
Woodland Park, New Jersey, USA
www.aerogaviation.com

Founded in August 2016 by Robert Gomez, aeroG Aviation LLC is focused on creating industry-changing innovations. With theoretical proofs and simulation science to determine the feasibility and capabilities of their projects, aeroG says it provides technical data, blueprints, and support for its aircraft designs directly to aircraft manufacturers: "Creating business partnerships to help develop new forms of transportation". Since November 2019, Joseph Erik Mattern has been acting as the CEO of the company.

Before the company was founded, the team's first simulation project was the UV-4 UAV, an unmanned cargo aircraft developed at Bergen Community College in 2015 by the company founder. The project was funded by the college’s STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) grant. The project was first released on Microsoft Flight Simulation X and Lockheed Martin Prepar3D v3 in Jan. 2017. The research developed by this group formed the basis for aeroG Aviation LLC.

The aG-4 Liberty is a hybrid-electric VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) aircraft that can cruise at 280+ kt (322+ mph, 519+ km/h) and transport passengers and/or cargo. It was launched in November 2017 based on the revised UV-4.

In November 2020 new images were released that displayed an updated configuration of the aG-4 Liberty's cabin, propeller design, and updated airframe.

The aG-4 Liberty can use either hybrid-electric or full-electric to power the propellers. For the hybrid version, the engine’s exhaust nozzles (located both sides of the fuselage) rotates its position to add vectored thrust in vertical takeoff, transition and forward flight modes. This aircraft can operate in excess of 300 kt (345 mph, 556 km/h) while only producing thrust from the two forward propellers in the cruise mode, cutting down on power consumption and noise while during the longest part of flight. In addition to the lift produced by the ducts, the aircraft is designed as a lifting body. The aircraft also has the increased safety of a ballistic recovery system.

The aircraft would fly manned in a highly augmented cockpit. It would also utilize multiple OLED (organic light-emitting diode) screens that display images taken from the exterior of the fuselage, binding the passenger’s sense of sight and imagination with the illusion of a glass cabin.

aG-4 Liberty interior

The goal of the development team was to create an aircraft that can serve aviation customers and cargo deliverers who need vertical takeoff and landing and want the high-end performance of a small jet or turboprop aircraft.

In 2018, aeroG Aviation completed the design and specifications for its manned passenger aircraft and the UV-4 is released for Lockheed-Martin Prepar3D v4 introducing structural improvements and autopilot features. In 2019, the company filed for an aeronautical patent to protect their unique design and method of propulsion.

Currently, the small startup research company is searching for partnerships with existing aviation manufacturing companies to bring their aircraft to the market.

Listed below are images of the aircraft's original configuration, prior to November 2020. During this period the aircraft was known simply as the aG-4.

Specifications:

• Aircraft type: Hybrid-electric VTOL aircraft
• Pilots: 2
• Passengers: 10
• Cruise speed: 280 knots (322 mph, 519 km/h)
• Horse power: 6,400 hp
• Motors: 4 electric motors. Each motor is a 3 phase AC induction motor rated at 1600 hp (1200 Kw)
• Power plant: JET-A powered engine
• Propeller Count: 4
• Propellers: 5 blade composite variable pitch (constant speed) propeller
• Size of Rear Props: 4.27 ft (1.3 m)
• Size of Front Props: 3.58 ft (1.09 m)
• Length: 41.12 ft. (12.53 m)
• Height of Aircraft: 17.55 ft (5.35 m)
• Wingspan: 48.55 ft. (14.8 m)
• Passenger cabin length: 11.15 ft (3.4 m)
• Passenger cabin width: 13.38 ft (4.08 m)
• Entrance: Located at the rear of the aircraft for loading and unloading of cargo and passengers
• Size of rear door: 32.6 sq ft (3.03 sq. m)
• Empty weight: 10,320 lb (4,681 kg)
• Payload weight: 2,000 lb (907 kg)
• MTO weight: 12,500 lb (5,670 kg), MTO = Maximum take-off thrust
• Wing type: Canard wing with rear high wing
• Tail assembly: Twin tail
• Landing gear: Wheeled tricycle retractable landing gear
• Safety features: Safety Features: Distributed Electric Propulsion (DEP), provides safety through redundancy for its passengers and/or cargo. DEP means having multiple propellers and motors on the aircraft so if one or more motors or propellers fail, the other working motors and propellers can safely land the aircraft. There is also a full aircraft ballistic parachute.

Resources:

• aeroG Aviation website
• aeroG Aviation Facebook
• aG-4 Liberty website
• Video: AeroG aG-4 (date unknown)
• Case study: UV-4 V/STOL UAV, Prepared3D graphics, Prepared3D, 2016
• Article: Students Sold on STEM Study, The Paramus Post, Apr. 27, 2016
• Article: Drones Research Taking Off At Paramus College, Daily Voice, May 26, 2016
• Article: Bergen Community College students to show off drone concept, North Jersey, Oct. 20, 2016
• Video: AeroG & Thranda UV-4 V/STOL UAV for X-plane 11 & 10,
  Thomas Rasmussen, Jan. 18, 2017
• Article: Aircraft Review : AeroG UV-4 UAV by Thranda, X-Plane Reviews, Jan. 23, 2017
• Article: AeroG UV-4 V/STOL UAV Aircraft Released For FSX & P3D, Fly Away Simulation, Mar. 14, 2017
• Podcast: Joseph Mattern aeroG Aviation - Electric Aircraft Designs, Electric Vehicle Podcast, Jan. 17, 2020