EP29 – The New GE9X Jet Engine, Boeing’s Take on Hydrogen Power & The Future of EVTOL Air Taxis
In this episode we discussed the GE9X jet engine and its increased power output and status as the largest jet turbine engine in the world. Boeing announced publicly that they thing hydrogen powered commercial airliners will be much more difficult than previously thought, and Allen weighs in on why this is probably correct. Lastly, we touch on some lightning strike news and discuss at length the future of EVTOLs - are they really as viable as many think, and who will win the race to the market (and profitability). Is there enough room for so many companies? Learn more about Weather Guard StrikeTape segmented lightning diverter strips. Follow the show on YouTube, Twitter, Linkedin and visit us on the web. Have a question we can answer on the show? Email us! Full Transcript: EP29 - The New GE9X Jet Engine, Boeing's Take on Hydrogen Power & The Future of EVTOL Air Taxis Welcome back to the struck podcast. On today's episode, we've got a bunch of topics. First. We're going to talk about Boeing. And their assessment of hydrogen power, which they think it's going to be a pretty difficult task to get up to speed there by 2035, where it talks about the 737 max and FAA administrator has, um, committed to flying that plane coming up soon. So we'll chat a little bit about the implications there. There's also another hydrogen powered passenger plane from Piper that took its maiden flight and a recent, uh, was struck by lighting in New Zealand. So we'll chat about that in our engineering segment, we're going to talk about the GE9X jet turbine engine. It's going to be used on the 777X, the triple seven, um, such a big engine, the biggest in the world. So we're going to talk about that. Also incredibly fuel efficient. And lastly, in our EVTOL segment, we're going to talk a little bit about the Embraer X concept, but overall, we're going to chat about the state of the industry in general. So Allen let's jump into it. Boeing thinks hydrogen is going to be difficult. Why? Allen Hall: Because you have to redesign everything. And when, I mean, redesign everything, I mean, redesign everything. You're going to probably start with a different looking airframe. Uh, so you're probably talking a blended wing type of design, which NASA was working on for years ago and Boeing was involved with, and some of those and which Airbus is also talking about now go figure. And every other piece of a fuel system. On that aircraft will have to change. And that, that includes the engines cause the fuel burns hotter. Uh, all the plumbing and all the safety features that go into, uh, making sure a fuel system works properly and doesn't endanger, the aircraft will have to change and that, and that means plumbing, clamps, brackets, uh, valves, or working at way different colder temperatures. Uh, you gotta worry about condensation and frost and, and, and Bredell elements and all the things that come along with working with a very cold fuel you'll have to. Does it redesign the system? So what Boeing is saying is guys industry, do we realize that it's not as easy as like flicking a switch and we can just basically plumb in hydrogen into this existing architecture because it won't work and we have to start over. And starting over on engine development, which is tremendously expensive to fuel system design and structural components and leak detection. And all those things that we do are, have to be start, are starting over. And we don't have a lot of history with any of those systems and the companies that would make those systems like a Parker. Uh, you named one of the fuel companies that, you know, Parker being one of the bigger ones, is that how they gotta, they gotta learn how to do that. So every part of the industry, no matter what tier you are in the aviation world, from Boeing being the, you know, the tier one and then narrow the suppliers down to little companies like our company will have to rethink how they do everything. ...