Transcend Air Elytron 2S Prototype 11 (experimental)

Elytron 2S P Prototype 11 (experimental)
Transcend Air Corporation
Carlisle, Massachusetts, USA
www.transcend.aero

The Transcend Air Corporation was founded in 2017 in Carlisle, Massachusetts, USA. The company is in the business to design and manufacture tilt-wing hybrid-electric vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) passenger aircraft for efficient and low cost city to city advanced air mobility (AAM) travel for the VIP traveler. As the aircraft can takeoff and land on any landing pad, airport tarmac, parking lot or grassy area, the aircraft will whisk the traveler to the destination faster than traditional airport-to-airport flying. Their aircraft can also fly its passengers to their destinations faster than a helicopter, according to the company.

Prototype flight testing
Since 2009, the company has built and flown 17 prototype electric or hybrid-electric VTOL subscale and full scale aircraft and at least 15 of them have had an all electric power source. All prototypes has made up to and including 2023 are uncrewed except for the Elytron subscale prototype which holds two people.

Some history of the Transcend prototypes:

• The first sketch of a hybrid-electric VTOL passenger aircraft was made on napkins in 2009
• Proto 1
• Proto 2
• Proto 3
• Proto 4
• Proto 5
• Proto 6
• Proto 7
• Proto 8
• Proto 9
• Proto 10
• Proto 11: Elytron 2S Proto 11 crewed aircraft
• Proto 12
• Proto 13
• Proto 14: 1/5 subscale Vy 400
• Proto 15: 1/5 subscale Vy 400, first flight September 5, 2018
• Proto 16: First flight January 19, 2019
• Proto 17: Risk Reduction Test Vehicle (RRTV), first flight July 31, 2023

Elytron 2S Prototype 11 hybrid-electric VTOL passenger prototype experimental aircraft
The Elytron 2S Prototype 11 hybrid-electric VTOL passenger full scale prototype experimental aircraft variant. The aircraft has two seats and is a crewed aircraft that weighs 2,000 lb (907 kg) and uses a gasoline engine for its power source. In biology, elytron is the name of a wing case for a beetle. The wing case protects the wings of a beetle when it is not in flight.

There is a canopy over the cockpit which hinges on the rear of the canopy window. The aircraft has two main propellers for VTOL and forward flight. The propellers are mounted on two short small stub tilt-wings allowing the aircraft to fly in any direction whether vertically or in forward flight. The propellers are located in the middle of the box wing. The box wing forms at the bottom front of the fuselage and ends near the rear of the aircraft. The rear portion of the box wing is held to the rear fuselage by a vertical stabilizer. The aircraft has fixed tricycle wheeled landing gear. 

Specifications:

• Aircraft type: Experimental Elytron 2S Proto 11 (Prototype 11) hybrid-electric VTOL passenger full scale experimental aircraft variant
• Piloting: 1 pilot or 2 pilots
• Cruise speed: Unknown
• Empty weight: 2,000 lb (907 kg)
• Propellers: 2 propellers
• Electric motors: 2 electric motors
• Power source: Hybrid-electric power source (gasoline engine)
• Fuselage: Unknown
• Window: Canopy over cockpit
• Wings: 1 box wing, 1 stub tilt-wing, 1 vertical stabilizer
• Landing gear: Fixed tricycle wheeled landing gear

Related Aircraft:

• Transcend Air Elytron 2S Prototype 11 (experimental)
• Transcend Air V-421 (concept design)
• Transcend Air V-621 (concept design)
• Transcend Air V-641 (concept design)
• Transcend Air V-653 (concept design)
• Transcend Air Vy 400 (defunct)
• Transcend Air Vy 400R (concept design)
• Transcend Air Vy 421 (concept design)

Company Insights:

• Crunchbase
• Dun & Bradstreet
• Pitchbook
• Tracxn

Resources:

• Transcend Air Corporation website
• Transcend Air Corporation Instagram
• Transcend Air Corporation LinkedIn
• U.S. Air Force AFWERX program Wikipedia
• Article: Vy 400, Future Flight, date unknown
• Article: Transcend Air announces “affordable” city-to-city VTOL aircraft, Vertical Magazine, June 28, 2018
• Article: New York to Boston in 36 minutes thanks to VTOL air taxi, says Transcend Air, New Atlas, June 29, 2018
• Article: Transcend Air and Lily Helipads announce zero-emission landing spots, Vertical Magazine, May 17, 2019
• Article: Transcend Air Enters Agreement with GE Aviation as Engine Supplier for the Groundbreaking Vy 400 High Speed VTOL Aircraft, Business Wire, Aug. 10, 2021
• Article: Kaman Aerospace Group, Inc. selected by Transcend Air to build the Vy 400 High Speed VTOL Aircraft, Nasdaq, Aug. 12, 2021
• Article: Transcend’s New VTOL Just Got a Powerful Makeover, Robb Report, Sept. 30, 2021
• Article: Transcend Air Receives Market Research Investment to Advance U.S. DoD High-Speed VTOL Capabilities, EIN Presswire, Jan. 28, 2022
• Article: Transcend Air advances in AFWERX HSVTOL Concept Challenge, Vertical Magazine, Feb. 1, 2022
• Article: Marines Want VTOL Family of Systems for Future Vertical Lift, U.S. Naval Institute, Feb. 9, 2022
• Article: U.S. Air Force Funds Transcend Air for More Work on VTOL Operations, FutureFlight, June 21, 2022
• Article: Tiltwing plane company Transcend Air intends to initiate FAA certification ‘soon,’ founders say, Aerospace America, Feb. 17, 2023
• Article: Transcend Air Taps IAI North America as Defense Partner, Business Wire, May 8, 2023