BELFORT, France -- Avions Mauboussi is developing the first generation of hybrid hydrogen-fuelled aircraft. The goal of the project is to allow sustainable inter-city mobility and access to areas currently closed to conventional aircraft through the use of clean and silent short take-off and landing (STOL) aircraft and to operate as close as possible to the desired destinations and from reduced infrastructures.
The name Avions Mauboussin is the revival of the aviation brand of the 1930s founded by Pierre Mauboussin. The name Pierre Mauboussin represents the innovative spirit of French aviation. Mauboussin's plans broke the endurance and speed records of the period. The planes were known for their energy efficiency due to improved aerodynamic breakthroughs. David Gallezot, the founder of the new Avions Mauboussin, wanted to revive the brand, as it is synonymous with innovation.
"In 1928 Pierre Mauboussin founded Avions Mauboussin to make aviation accessible to more people; today Avions Mauboussin is being reinvented to bring accessibility to the regions with the sustainable aviation of the 21st century," said Gallezot.
Channeling this innovative spirit to push the company and aviation forward, Avions Mauboussin is pushing the hydrogen technology that modern science has been able to make safe. Hydrogen flight has a history of disaster, due mostly in part to the Hindenburg disaster in the 1930s. As a result, hydrogen has maintained a reputation for danger. It is only in the last decade that hydrogen fuel has become the conversation of aviation innovation. The fuel source allows for cleaner energy in a world desperate for sustainable energy options. This desire for a vision of modernity and energy efficiency has led to the design of Avions Mauboussin's Alérion M1h hybrid STOL twin-seater.
Designed in cooperation with the Université de Technologie de Belfort-Montbéliard (UTBM) and industrial partners, the M1h is a light, two-seater with low wings, hybrid drive, designed for the pilot-owner and on-demand mobility markets. The powerplant will initially be hybrid, a combination of electric and thermal, with a total power of 90 kW or 110hp. These specs will enable short takeoff and landing in electric mode, to then switch to combustion mode while cruising, reaching speeds of 250km/h and a range of several hundred kilometers. Early estimates postulate that the aircraft will be able to fly from Belfort to Toulouse in two and a half hours. The hydrogen-powered turbine will enable the electric engine to function and will eliminate harmful emissions from the lack of fossil fuels. The first flight is planned for 2022 in the hybrid version and 2024 for the hydrogen version. The commercialization of the aircraft is scheduled for late 2024.
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