Faradair aims for BEHA hybrid-electric passenger flights by 2025

Founded in 2014, Cirencester headquartered Faradair Aerospace has developed BEHA (Bio Electric Hybrid Aircraft) to carry 18 passengers or be reconfigured to carry cargo.

The BEHA_M1H uses a patented triple box-wing high-lift configuration designed to deliver Short Take-Off and Landing (STOL) capability. Twin contra-rotating propfans housed in a noise-reducing acoustic duct provide the aircraft with vectored thrust for ‘safe, slow speed manoeuvring’. The company said it is targeting a take-off noise level of 60dba.

“The BEHA M1H variant, multi-role aircraft, will allow operators the ability to provide viable air transport services including; scheduled commuting flights, flight training and charter by day and the ability to use the quiet flight characteristics and payload capability for cargo operations at night,” said Neil Cloughley, managing director of Faradair. “This opens market opportunities not served by existing aircraft, due to the lower noise signature and load capability.”

In cargo-carrying mode, the aircraft will be capable of housing three LD3 cargo containers, with an internal payload capacity of five tonnes. The company claims that BEHA can be reconfigured in 15 minutes and that it is ‘in discussion with potential civilian and non-civilian customers for this class leading capability’.