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The Future of Advanced Air Mobility
Heart Aerospace's 30-seat ES-30 hybrid-electric regional airliner.

In response to input from prospective launch customers including United Airlines, Heart Aerospace announced plans to develop the 30-seat ES-30 regional airliner in place of the 19-seat ES-19 model it launched back in 2020. the new aircraft will feature a hybrid-electric propulsion system, giving the option of increasing range to 500 miles from just 125 miles in all-electric mode.

The Swedish company has received a new investment of $10 million, split evenly between Air Canada and the Saab aerospace group. It is aiming to bring the ES-30 into commercial service in 2028, and already has almost 100 provisional orders.

During 2021, Heart had made significant progress in its plans to bring the 19-seat ES-19 electric regional airliner to market in 2026. The company logged provisional sales commitments from airlines including Finnair and United, with the latter having invested in the venture.

Heart's engineering team conducted testing with a ground-based prototype of the complete electric propulsion system. The program plan called for a full-scale prototype, which will be quite close to the series production design, to start flight tests in mid-2024.

In June 2022, Heart changed its strategy to certify the ES-19 from the CS-23 certification process to the CS-25 process. As a result of the similarities between EASA CS-25 and the FAA's 14 CFR Part 25 standards, the change would have allowed for the ES-19 to be more easily delivered to the U.S. market, but makes more sense in context of the subsequent switch to a 30-seat design.

Timeline

first delivery

Heart Aerospace expects the ES-30 to enter service in 2028.

Outlook

Our objective assessment of this program’s probable success.

FutureFlight assesses the probability of success for a new aircraft program by considering the following criteria:

  • Total investment funds available in proportion to the anticipated cost of getting an aircraft certified and in service
  • A company’s in-house capability (in terms of numbers of engineers, technical staff, and customer support teams)
  • The past experience of the company and its senior leadership in developing aircraft
  • The caliber and past experience of key program partners
  • Whether key aircraft systems have been selected and are available for use
  • Whether the preliminary design review has been completed
  • Whether the design for the full-scale prototype has been completed
  • Whether the type certification process has been formally initiated with an appropriate regulator
  • Whether the company has achieved a first flight with a full-scale prototype
  • The number of hours logged in a flight test program
  • Whether type certification has been achieved
  • The number of orders and commitment received for the aircraft
  • Whether the company has adequate facilities to begin series production of the aircraft
Our Methodology

Heart Aerospace's announcement of plans to develop a hybrid-electric 30-seat regional airliner called the ES-30 marked a significant shift in strategic direction after almost two years of work on the ES-19 all-electric 19-seater. The change in direction was prompted by input from prospective launch customers United Airlines and Air Canada. The rebooted program was bolstered by a $10 million investment split evenly between the Canadian carrier and Swedish aerospace and defense group Saab. The new plan does defer entry into commercial service, and therefore payments from airline customers, by two years to 2028.

ES-30 Models

Heart ES-19 Specifications

local regional Fixed Wing
Imperial/Metric

Performance

  • Passenger Capacity
    19
  • Range
    250 mi
  • Cruise Speed
    n/a
  • Powerplant Type
    propeller
  • Power Source
    electric
  • Endurance
    n/a
  • Max Altitude
    n/a
  • Takeoff Distance
    2,500 ft
  • Landing Distance
    2,500 ft
  • Empty Weight
    n/a
  • MGTOW
    18,920 lb
  • Payload Weight
    n/a

Dimensions

  • Length
    n/a
  • Width
    n/a
  • Height
    n/a
  • Wingspan
    n/a

While zero emissions is the driver, the ES-19 is also designed to improve the economic viability of air transport service to remote regions. The ES-19 is a 19-seater, four-engine, high-wing airliner of aluminum airframe construction. Heart believes it can have a prototype flying by 2022 and achieve certification and entry-into-service in 2025.

According to founder Anders Forslund, the ES-19 will have a maximum takeoff weight of around 18,920 pounds (8,600 kg) and would be certificated under the EASA CS23 standard. Its batteries would weigh three metric tons and allow it to fly up to 250 miles (400km) with a 45-minute reserve.

Forslund says it will have the lowest carbon footprint of any regional air transport aircraft and is a scalable design. Heart also says it will offer a corporate version of the aircraft.

Investors

Total Amount Invested: $10m
  • Sep 15, 2022/$5m
  • Sep 15, 2022/$5m

Swedish aerospace and defense group Saab has invested $5 million in Heart Aerospace's plans for a 30-seat hybrid-electric regional airliner called the ES-30.

Air Canada has invested $5 million in Heart Aerospace's plans for a 30-seat hybrid-electric regional airliner called the ES-30.

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