Scaling Hydrogen-Electric propulsion for Large Aircraft

Scaling Hydrogen-Electric propulsion for Large Aircraft

Looking at the orderbook for both Airbus and Boeing, this is set to increase drastically, with narrowbody
aircraft likely to support the bulk of increased passenger demand.

With nearly 8.7 billion passengers predicted by 2037 — more than the world’s population — and much of this increased demand coming rom emerging middle class in countries like China and India — the proportion of passengers carried on narrowbodies is likely to increase.

Low-emission propulsion solutions are needed for this segment to make a positive shift for the majority of aviation
and outstrip the emissions increase that would otherwise be occasioned by demand growth.

The routes narrowbodies fly vary greatly in size, with the shortest scheduled service being 15NM and the
longest over 3,500NM. Nominal range for narrowbody aircraft is as high as 4,000NM.

With no new widebody aircraft currently planned by either Airbus or Boeing
at the time of writing, airline operators seem happy to deploy narrowbody aircraft on progressively
longer routes, including some long-haul flights. 

With reduced range due to hydrogen’s comparative volumetric energy density when compared to jet
kerosene, delivering a powertrain for narrowbody aircraft would by necessity tackle the market by
degrees, beginning at the lower end. However, the distribution of narrowbody operations sees the bulk
of flights at the lower end, with 95% sub 1,750NM.

Hydrogen Aviation