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Bye Aerospace (Denver, CO, US), the developer of the Sun Flyer 2 and Sun Flyer 4 family of electric aircraft, announced Oct. 15 it is having discussions with on-demand charter services about using its Sun Flyer 4 aircraft to provide on-demand air taxi service.
 
“Given the level of interest in more-efficient and more-affordable short-range air taxi service, we are being contacted by proactive, forward-thinking companies,” says George Bye, CEO of Bye Aerospace. “They understand the low-cost operating benefits and market potential of using 4-seat electric aircraft for a comfortable shorter-haul on-demand air transportation service. These short-haul on-demand routes include connections out of key business centers like the LA Basin, San Francisco, Atlanta, Dallas-Ft. Worth and Miami-Fort Lauderdale.”
 
The relatively high-speed 4-seat IFR-capable Sun Flyer 4 aircraft will closely follow the FAA certification of the Sun Flyer 2. Features of the 165-knot cruise speed Sun Flyer 4 include a 46-inch cabin width and a 850 lb. payload with a full airframe ballistic recovery parachute for safety. The payload capability, coupled with projected flight speed and modest, but capable, range is key to on-demand air services.

The Sun Flyer family of electric aircraft features good speed and altitude performance with low operating costs, low aircraft unit costs, low noise and the effective elimination of CO₂ exhaust pollutants. Electric energy, or “fuel,” cost for Sun Flyer is multiples lower compared to the per-hour ops cost for piston-engine leaded avgas (aviation gasoline). The first prototype for the Sun Flyer 2 completed its first flight at Centennial Airport, south of Denver, on April 10, and a partnership with Siemens to collaborate on the electric propulsion system for Sun Flyer 2 was announced in late May.