Beyond Aero Completes First H2 Bizjet Wind Tunnel Tests

Beyond Aero completed the first wind tunnel tests of its BYA-1 hydrogen-electric business jet as it approaches the end of the program's preliminary design review, it said on January 19. According to the French start-up, tests with a one-eighth-scale model were conducted at the German-Dutch Wind Tunnels Low-Speed Facility at Marknesse in the Netherlands over five weeks in the fourth quarter.

The Toulouse, France-based company is developing a product it bills as “the first electric business jet powered by hydrogen propulsion,” focusing on fuel cell technology and gaseous hydrogen to transport six passengers up to 1,500 kilometers (800 nm).

The recent wind tunnel campaign builds on design refinements announced in March, featuring an increased fuel cell stack capacity of 2.4 megawatts and wing-mounted 700-bar gaseous fuel tanks. In October, Beyond Aero reported that the hydrogen-electric propulsion system it has developed in-house had also achieved technology readiness level 6.

“Having the tanks outside the primary fuselage volume makes aerodynamic optimization both necessary and interesting, as it allows us to actively manage these flow interactions rather than constrain them internally, while also supporting safety, integration, and certification considerations specific to hydrogen,” Beyond Aero told AIN.

Beyond Aero said the wind tunnel analysis achieved its objective of validating “the primary aerodynamic assumptions associated with the hydrogen architecture,” confirming that "the hydrogen-driven external configuration behaves in a stable, predictable, and controllable manner across the intended flight envelope.”

Testing also investigated performance, stability, and control “across a wide range of configurations.” The qualitative characteristics of the stall—such as onset, controllability, and overall behavior—“match what we expect at this stage of the program,” confirmed a spokesperson.

Beyond Aero has yet to publicly detail plans for completing the “next major milestone” of its upcoming preliminary design review, instead confirming that work to “identify sensitive areas, and refine tradeoffs” will continue to evolve the BVA-1. “As with any aircraft program, decisions around full-scale prototypes are tied to progression through these phases,” concluded the company. Beyond Aero previously said it is aiming to achieve service entry around 2030.