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Targa VTOL
Highgate AeroDesign
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
(no website)
Founded by Richard Glassock in 2021, Highgate AeroDesign is a new aerospace company based in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Glassock has both Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering and Master of Mechanical Engineering degrees with years of experience as a research and development professional. The company is developing modular conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) aircraft, super short takeoff and landing (SSTOL) aircraft and vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft.
Each aircraft design will have optional configurations such as fixed or retractable landing gear, conventional or amphibian hull options and multiple power source options. Each aircraft will have the option to have conventional turbo props, a hybrid-electric power source or an all-electric power source.
The modular design of the aircraft will ship inside a standard intermodal container, allowing the aircraft to be easily shipped by truck, rail and by sea. The modular design will also allow rapid assembly and disassembly of the aircraft.
The Targa VTOL is an all-electric VTOL (or eVTOL) passenger aircraft (with the option of having a hybrid-electric power source) and has one pilot and holds six people. The aircraft is planned to be used for advanced air mobility (AAM) and also for air cargo service. For air cargo service, the aircraft has a rear boarding ramp for ease of entry and exit of cargo.
The aircraft has a total of four propellers in a push-pull configuration. The front two propellers are positioned above the high main wing and the rear pusher propellers trail behind the high main wing. For VTOL flight, the front two propellers tilt upward and the rear two propellers tilt downward.
The aircraft’s fuselage looks similar to a general aviation aircraft such as a Cessna or Piper aircraft. The aircraft has larger than conventional windows allowing for a better passenger viewing experience. The aircraft has one main high wing with winglets and has a standard T-tail. The aircraft can be outfitted with an amphibious haul with tricycle retractable wheeled landing gear. Without an amphibious haul, the aircraft can be outfitted with fixed wheeled landing gear or tricycle wheeled retractable landing gear.
Specifications:
- Aircraft type: eVTOL or hybrid-electric VTOL passenger or cargo aircraft.
- Piloting: 1 pilot
- Capacity: 6 passengers
- Cruise speed: Unknown
- Propellers: 4 tilt propellers
- Electric motors: 4 electric motors
- Power source: All-electric or hybrid-electric power source
- Fuselage: Carbon fiber composite
- Windows: Larger than conventional windows for forward, left, right visibility, for spectacular views with a solid roof above the passenger compartment
- Wings: 1 main high-wing with winglets
- Tail: 1 standard T-tail
- Hull: Conventional hull or amphibious haul
- Landing gear: Fixed tricycle wheeled or retractable tricycle wheeled landing gear
- Safety features: Distributed Electric Propulsion (DEP), provides safety through redundancy for its passengers and/or cargo. DEP means having multiple propellers (or ducted fans) and motors on the aircraft so if one or more propellers (ducted fans) or motors fail, the other working propellers (or ducted fans) and motors can safely land the aircraft. There are also redundancies in the sub-systems of the aircraft.
Resources:
- Richard Glassock LinkedIn
