Textron eAviation’s full-scale technology demonstrator for the Nexus eVTOL aircraft is starting to take shape at the company’s Wichita headquarters. The Nexus team recently finished connecting the two halves of the aircraft’s fuselage, or the central section of the aircraft that contains the passengers, crew, and cargo.
Announcing the milestone on May 30, Textron eAviation also released the first photo of its progress on the technology demonstrator, along with a time-lapse video of the build. Other than some digital renderings of its new design, the company hasn’t shown off its work on the Nexus since it took over the program from Bell Textron, the helicopter-making division of its parent company Textron Inc. in 2022.
“Since the formation of Textron eAviation, the team has been focused on vehicle design, performance confirmation and the build of our first full-scale technology demonstrator to test the control and functionality of the aircraft,” said Textron eAviation president and CEO Kriya Shortt. “It is rewarding to see the vehicle begin to take shape, and achieving fuselage assembly on the demonstrator is a major step in the aircraft’s development.”
The Nexus is designed to be an all-electric, single-pilot eVTOL aircraft with room for three or four passengers. It has an anticipated flight range of around 100 nautical miles on a single charge with a cruise speed of 120 knots. Textron eAviation expects to have the full-scale technology demonstrator fully assembled by the end of 2024 and plans to begin flight testing in 2025.