Urban electric air taxis have their place. But these vertical takeoff-and-landing hybrids could pioneer a new category in regional aircraft.
in development is the Joby S4, with a top speed of 205 mph and 150-mile range. But recently Horizon Aircraft showed off a half-scale prototype of its Cavorite X5 VTOL, which the company says has a projected top speed of 285 mph, although design and power specs suggest its real-world results could be higher by 10 mph. Its theoretical cruise speed of 250 mph would deliver a range of 250 to 600 miles, depending on loading and configuration.
On the Cavorite X5, the fans provide lift, but once the craft is airborne, the wings close and the turbine provides thrust via a single rear-mounted propeller. The turbine combines with a small battery bank during the lift phase and charges the batteries in flight, but forward motion is 100-percent turbo-driven. With the wing closed there’s no drag from the fans, which gives the Horizon the efficiency and speed of a standard plane.
The shift comes as a number of aviation entrepreneurs have concluded that for the hybrid providers, greater opportunities lie in regional travel and transport rather than intra-city air taxis. The exposed fans on the Cavorite X5 provide electric lift, but when it reaches altitude, the wings close up and the jet-fueled turbines power the rear propeller. “With improvements in batteries and further development, I’m 100-percent sure the air-taxi model will come to pass, but it won’t be fast,” says Robinson. “In reality, there won’t be thousands of eVTOLs flying over New York City in five years. The regulatory process alone will take longer than that.
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