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Limosa LimoConnect V2

Special Vtol
Updated:
jucks72
By jucks72
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LimoConnect V2 (concept design)
Limosa Inc.
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
www.limosa.ca

Founded in 2021 by Hamid Hamidi, PhD, Limosa Inc. is a technology start-up based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The company’s aim is to revolutionize the transportation system by designing and manufacturing electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) passenger aircraft for Sustainable Advanced Air Mobility (SAAM). The company intends to build electric aircraft which are safer than cars, are eco-friendly, are fast, are easy to use, are affordable to fly and are more flexible than conventional transportation systems.

The company employs a variety of experts in aircraft structural design, structural analyses, aerodynamics, designing propulsion systems, flight control and avionics to develop eVTOL aircraft. Limosa Inc. intends to develop and acquire strategic technologies and next-generation aircraft configurations, to accelerate the deployment of economically viable eco-friendly air travel and transport, by leveraging its expertise and growing international network of industry partnerships.

The name of the company is from the Limosa bird. According to the company, the bird can fly non-stop from New Zealand to East Japan or up to 6,800 mi (11,000 km). The body of this bird was the very first inspiration for the fuselage of LimoConnect and the company has stated they  have not changed it since. The company was trying to tweak the aerodynamic properties of the fuselage but it turned out that it is already optimized so we didn’t need to touch it. The bird comes from nature and nature has optimized it already through evolution.

LimoConnect V2 passenger eVTOL concept design aircraft
The LimoConnect V2 is a passenger eVTOL concept design aircraft. The aircraft holds one pilot and six passengers. The aircraft is planned to have eventually autonomous piloting in the future. The LimoConnect V2’s design changes were decided upon by the work done with a 1:10 subscale prototype, 1:8 subscale prototype, from Transport Canada, third-party consultancies and computer simulations. The new design changes were made to improve functionality and commercial feasibility of the aircraft. The LimoConnect V2 was unveiled at the Vertical Flight Society’s Electric Aircraft Symposium in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, USA, on July 22, 2023.

The cruise speed is estimated at 200 mph (322 km/h), with an anticpated range of 150 miles (241 km) and has an expected flight time of one hour. The maximum payload weight is calculated to be 1,100 lbs (499 kg). The seating arrangement has the pilot sitting in front with 2X2 seating for the passengers. The passenger cabin has large windows allowing forward, left and right visibility for spectacular views with a solid roof above the passenger compartment. The fuselage is made from carbon fiber composite for a high strength and low weight ratio. The cabin has two doors on each side of the fuselage with rear baggage compartment doors on each of the fuselage as well.

The aircraft has four tilt-propellers mounted on the front of the high main wing. The main wing has a redesigned control surface system with large fowler flaps which improves the ability to take off and land conventionally from short runways. The main wing has winglets. Two VTOL-only propellers are on booms on the rear of the main wing and two VTOL-only propellers are on booms on the V-tail. The aircraft uses battery packs to power the entire aircraft. The aircraft has fixed tricycle wheeled landing gear.

Design changes to the LimoConnect V2 passenger eVTOL concept design aircraft

  • Changing the distributed electric propulsion system (DEP) reduced the number of moving parts and tilting mechanisms in half which simplifies and reduces the failure risk of the DEP system
  • The more efficient propulsion system reduces noise by rotating at lower rotational speeds
  • The new high main wing is more rectangular and less curved that further simplifies the design for manufacturing
  • A redesigned control surface system with large fowler flaps, enabling the aircraft to perform conventional takeoff and landing on very short runways
  • A new avionics system is put in place that provides enhanced safety and situational awareness
  • A larger interior space for passengers and cargo was achieved by relocating the wings
  • Has a target of 60 to 65 decibels at 500 feet (150 meters)

A new avionics suite provides enhanced safety and situational awareness for pilots. The LimoConnect V2 has a modular cabin that can be customized for various missions such as air taxi service, executive travel service, emergency medical service and air cargo service. The Limosa expects to sell the majority of the LimoConnect aircraft to commercial customers and will also sell their aircraft to private individuals for regional air mobility. The company has stated their aircraft is the SUV-sized version of eVTOL aircraft.

Certification
The company has announced their partnership with Airborne (based in the United Kingdom) to manufacture the aircraft’s composite structure and that BAC Aerospace (based in Canada) are their partners for federal aviation certification. The company has stated they are the first Canadian eVTOL developer to start the certification process with TCCA. The company expects the G-1 certification by the end of 2024 and expects type certification by mid-2028. After the aircraft is certified by the Canadian government, the company plans on having their aircraft certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the United States.

Future
Limosa is aiming to assemble a full-scale prototype by mid-2024 with flight testing beginning afterward. The company has also stated they are even looking at the possibility of designing a larger 10 passenger eVTOL aircraft. That would mean one pilot, nine passengers and their luggage.

LimoConnect V1 versus LimoConnect V2

LimoConnect V1 versus LimoConnect V2

LimoConnect V2 passenger eVTOL concept design aircraft flying

LimoConnect V2 passenger eVTOL concept design aircraft flying

Specifications:

  • Aircraft type: eVTOL passenger concept design aircraft
  • Piloting: 1 pilot (The aircraft will be piloted at first and in the future will be autonomous)
  • Capacity: 6 passengers
  • Cruise speed: 200 mph (322 km/h)
  • Range: 150 miles (241 km)
  • Flight Time: 1 hour
  • Maximum payload weight: 1,100 lbs (499 kg)
  • Propellers: 4 tilt-propellers, 4 VTOL-only propellers (all propellers are located on booms)
  • Electric Motors: 8 electric motors
  • Power source: Batteries
  • Fuselage: Carbon fiber composite
  • Windows: Larger than standard aircraft panoramic wrap around windows allowing forward, left, right visibility for spectacular views with a solid roof above the passenger compartment
  • Wings: 1 high main wing type wing with winglets
  • Tail: 1 V-tail
  • Landing gear: Fixed 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.

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