Air Force Picks 11 Companies for High-Speed VTOL Program
Jaunt Air Mobility will develop two conceptual designs for the HSVTOL program. The aircraft will incorporate Jaunt’s patented slowed rotor compound (SRC) technology, which slows the helicopter’s main rotor speed to allow for higher forward speeds. The result, said Jaunt, is a lift-to-drag ratio five times better than that of a helicopter. The first proposed design is based on the Multi-mission Air Vehicle 55 (MAV55), a conceptual 11,000-lb (5,000-kg) hybrid-electric aircraft with a 12-passenger capacity. Using a powertrain developed by VerdeGo Aero and featuring GE Aviation’s Catalyst engine, the MAV55 could reach speeds of 270 kt (500 km/h) and a range of 1,610 miles (2,591 km). At the same time, the company is developing a proposal for a second aircraft with more capability and a target of 2030, said Jaunt COO Jesse A. Crispino in an email to Vertiflite. The HSVTOL program is the latest collaboration between Jaunt and the Air Force; the Dallas-based company has already completed three Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) contracts for AFWERX (see “Stamping Out Air Taxis,” Vertiflite, May/June 2021).
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About Jaunt
Jaunt Air Mobility is a transformative aerospace company headquartered in Dallas, Texas, with design and manufacturing located in Montreal, Canada. Jaunt is building the next generation of eVTOL (electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing) and hybrid-electric VTOL aircraft for faster, quieter, and safer travel over urban areas, moving people and packages. Jaunt is the global leader in developing Slowed-Rotor Compound (SRC) technology. The Jaunt Journey is the world’s first electric aircraft combining helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft flight capabilities. Jaunt has teamed with Tier 1 aviation partners to develop the Journey and work with global operators to provide this new form of travel. Jaunt offers the most operationally efficient aircraft with a zero-carbon footprint. For more information, visit www.jauntairmobility.com.
Media Contacts
Nancy Richardson, nmrichardson@jauntairmobility.com, 610-952-2595
Valérie Gonzalo, gonzalo@videotron.ca, 514-923-1549
