Elytron Aircraft Elytron 4S (concept design)

Elytron 4S (concept design)
Elytron Aircraft LLC (out of business)
Hayward, California, USA

Elytron Aircraft was founded in 2013 by Gregory Bruell and Oliver Garrow in Hayward, California, USA. The company has since gone out of business. The goal was to create several sizes of aircraft for different air missions that can take off like a helicopter but travel at the speeds of an airplane using the combination of a tilt-wing with a box-wing. One of the main distinguishing features of the aircraft was the box-wing configuration which some aviators have proposed is the best wing system that has a minimum amount of drag caused by the wings themselves (called induced drag).

The company designed the full scale Elytron 2S two passenger flying prototype as an all-turbine powered vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (VTOL) aircraft with mechanical power distribution. The future production aircraft were specifically designed as hybrid-electric VTOL aircraft with distributed electric propulsion (DEP) for advanced air mobility (AAM). The company built and flew multiple proof-of-concept aircraft and one full scale prototype aircraft.

Elytron 4S long-range hybrid-electric VTOL passenger concept design aircraft
Elytron 4S is a long-range hybrid-electric VTOL concept design aircraft holding four people. The aircraft holds one pilot, three passengers and their luggage. With a range of 1,022 m (1,646 km), the aircraft has been designed for city to city travel. The aircraft could be redesigned as an all-electric VTOL passenger aircraft once battery density provides enough electricity for long-range air travel.

There is a canopy over the cockpit and the passenger windows are circular in shape. The maximum cruise speed is estimated at 316 mph (196 km/h) and has a predicted maximum altitude of 30,000 ft (9,144 m). The empty weight of the aircraft is 2,420 lb (1,100 kg), its maximum payload is 1,100 lb (500 kg) and its maximum takeoff weight at sea level is approximately 4,422 lb (2,006 kg).

The aircraft has one high main tilt-wing with two propellers for VTOL and forward flight propulsion. The aircraft has a unique box-wing (or closed wing) that begins in the middle of the nose of the aircraft, then at the end of the front horizontal wings, the wings continue in a vertical position, then forms the rear high wing creating one joined wing with no wingtips. The purpose of a closed wing is to reduce the wasteful effects of a wingtip vortices. The proposition is, if there are no wingtips, there will be no wingtip vortices. The rear of the box wing is held in place with a rear vertical stabilizer. Box wings also offer some structural advantages to the aircraft. The aircraft has retractable tricycle wheeled landing gear. In the event of a power failure, the aircraft can land conventionally like an airplane. In case of an emergency water landing, the front wing acts as a hydrofoil.

Aircraft mission types
The company envisioned their aircraft to be used for air taxi service, corporate air transportation, emergency medical service (EMS) and offshore air travel.

Specifications:

• Aircraft type: Hybrid-electric VTOL passenger concept design aircraft
• Piloting: 1 pilot
• Capacity: 3 passengers
• Maximum cruise speed: 316 mph (196 km/h)
• Range: 1,022 m (1,646 km)
• Maximum altitude: 30,000 ft (9,144 m)
• Empty weight: 2,420 lb (1,100 kg)
• Maximum payload: 1,100 lb (500 kg)
• Maximum takeoff weight at sea level: 4,422 lb (2,006 kg)
• Propellers: 2 prop-propellers
• Electric motors: 2 electric motors
• Power source: Hybrid-electric using 2 turbine engines for the power source
• Fuselage: Carbon fiber composite
• Window: Canopy over cockpit
• Wings: 1 high main tilt-wing and 1 box wing
• Tail: 1 vertical stabilizer
• Landing gear: Retractable tricycle wheeled landing gear
• Safety features: The aircraft can land conventionally as an airplane if the propellers stop working. In case of an emergency water landing, the front wing acts as a hydrofoil.

Related Aircraft:

• Elytron 2S Prototype 11 (experimental)
• Elytron Aircraft Elytron 10S (concept design)

Resources:

• Elytron Aircraft LLC website (no website, defunct company)
• Elytron Aircraft LLC Facebook
• Article: Elytron 2S: The out-of-the-box tiltrotor concept, New Atlas, July 24, 2014
• Article: Elytron 2S tiltrotor demonstrator airframe completed, New Atlas, Mar. 27, 2015
• Article: Elytron Shows Off POC Demonstrator at Heli Expo 2015, Sustainable Skies, Mar. 21, 2015