Texas Aircraft Manufacturing and Siemens eAircraft announced today that the two companies entered a
new cooperative effort in the field of electric flight. Siemens is providing a propulsion system for
the electrically powered version of Texas Aircraft’s new Colt LSA electrical demonstrator.
“What we are making today is an incredibly exciting announcement not only for Texas Aircraft
and Siemens eAircraft, but for the entire flight training industry,” Texas Aircraft
Manufacturing’s Founding Partner, Matheus Grande said. “To be able to partner with Siemens
eAircraft in this program and installing their electric propulsion unit with a new-generation
SP55D electric motor on our Colt airframe is a testament to the engineering and manufacturing
efforts we have put into our new-generation LSA.”
“We are very proud to be able to support Texas Aircraft with our systems,” said Dr. Frank
Anton, Executive Vice President eAircraft at Siemens, “and we are confident projects like this
are key to developing electric flight further.”
“The availability to offer a version of our new Colt LSA that is powered by a new-generation
Siemens eAircraft electric motor will give both private owners and flight schools the option of
having an airplane that’s not only fun to fly, but will also be extremely environmentally
friendly,” Grande said. “With 72kW of peak takeoff power, the electric Colt will perform very
comparably with the gasoline powered Colt, which is to say, it will have very good
performance.”
Along with the SP55D electric motor, Siemens eAircraft will be providing the system’s inverter
and auxiliary control components.
About the Siemens eAircraft electric propulsion system:
• SP55D – Synchroneous direct-drive electric motor with maximum takeoff power (MTOP)
with a two-minute limit of 72kW at 3,000 RPM.
• Maximum continuous power (MCP) of 55kW at 3,000 RPM
• EPUIII – modular electric propulsion unit including vehicle control unit, cockpit control
unit, inverter, power supply unit and battery system master controller
•
Grande said “The dedication and professionalism of the Siemens team is first class,” he said. “This project is
a testimony to the power of people working together to achieve amazing things. We have people
from the US, Brazil, Germany, and Hungary solving problems and working collaboratively to
make this one of the best electric LSA options in the market”
“As exciting as today’s announcement is, it is just the first step in the road to developing the
collective experience necessary to integrate electric propulsion systems into new-generation
LSAs and ultimately earning certification for our new Texas Aircraft eLSA,” Grande said.
About Texas Aircraft Manufacturing
Founded in 2017 and based at South Texas Regional Airport in Hondo, Texas, the team behind
Texas Aircraft Manufacturing is solely committed to using modern technologies and materials to
design and produce new-generation private aircraft that help pilots achieve their dream of aircraft
ownership. The company is the designer and producer of the new Colt Light Sport Aircraft
(LSA). Texas Aircraft Manufacturing takes great pride in the fact that many of its skilled
assembly technicians are ex-U.S. military aircraft maintainers. For more information, visit:
www.texasaircraft.com
About Siemens AG
Siemens AG (Berlin and Munich) is a global technology powerhouse that has stood for
engineering excellence, innovation, quality, reliability and internationality for more than 165
years. The company is active in more than 200 countries, focusing on the areas of electrification,
automation and digitalization. One of the world’s largest producers of energy-efficient, resourcesaving technologies, Siemens is No. 1 in offshore wind turbine construction, a leading supplier
of combined cycle turbines for power generation, a major provider of power transmission
solutions and a pioneer in infrastructure solutions as well as automation, drive and software
solutions for industry. The company is also a leading provider of medical imaging equipment –
such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging systems – and a leader in
laboratory diagnostics as well as clinical IT. In fiscal 2014, which ended on September 30, 2014,
Siemens generated revenue from continuing operations of €71.9 billion and net income of €5.5
billion. At the end of September 2014, the company had around 357,000 employees worldwide.
Further information is available on the Internet at http://www.siemens.com.
As of 18.06.2019 Rolls-Royce signed a contract to acquire the eAircraft business from Siemens.
Closing is expected later this year.
