Completion of Downwash Study Meets a Key Product and Engineering Q1 Milestone
ENGLEWOOD, Colo., Feb. 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- XTI Aerospace, Inc. (NASDAQ:XTIA) ("XTI" or the "Company"), a pioneer in advanced aircraft design, today announced the successful completion of its downwash study, achieving a key 2025 first quarter product and engineering milestone, as previously disclosed. The downwash/outwash study, which analyzed airflows generated by the aircraft during vertical takeoff and landing to assess safety and performance, met expectations as anticipated by the XTI Flight Science engineering team.
"The TriFan 600 will hold a key advantage over helicopters- its downward propeller airflow is designed to be controlled by the ducted fans," said Dave Ambrose, VP of Engineering at XTI Aircraft. "As a result, when the airflow reaches the ground, the outwash dynamic pressure dissipates more quickly and closer to the vehicle. This means a person can stand closer to the TriFan during vertical takeoff and landing without being blown over, enhancing both safety and operational flexibility."
"Our product and engineering team is growing and we continue to outperform expectations," said Don Purdy, SVP Business and Program Development, XTI Aerospace. "The downwash study is just one of the many analyses we have conducted on the TriFan 600 aircraft, and it's always a great validation when the results exceed our expectations."
Figure 1 shows how the five-foot diameter aft fan duct in the fuselage helps to constrain the airflow stream. Figure 2 shows how the TriFan compares with two heavy helicopters. The felt dynamic pressure (flow parallel to the ground) is greater if you are directly under the TriFan, but it quickly dissipates below that of the helicopters the further you get from the vehicle. Importantly, the FAA has recently defined a Downwash Caution Area (DCA) as anywhere the velocity exceeds 34.5 mph or 15 m/s. Figure 3 shows that the TriFan's DCA is 53 feet which is very close to the Joby S4 DCA.
In a previous market update, the Company outlined six core product and engineering milestones for Q1, listed below, beginning with the downwash/outwash study and leading up to the launch of the "Sparrow" subscale working model in early Q2.
Completed:
- Downwash / Outwash Study – Analyze airflows generated by the aircraft during vertical takeoff and landing to evaluate safety and performance
To be Completed:
- Fuel System Design – Optimize fuel system design to reduce unusable fuel and increase fuel capacity
- Engine Air Inlets and Exhaust – Optimize air intake and exhaust design to enhance performance and efficiency of the propulsion system
- Flight Deck Mockup – Develop a flight deck human factors mockup to design and evaluate and optimize ergonomics, pilot controls, and vision polar
- Type Certification Application – Formally apply to the FAA for type certification of the TriFan 600
- Global Finite Element Model (GFEM) of the latest configuration – Update the comprehensive structural model to evaluate and optimize the aircraft's strength and load paths under various loading conditions
About XTI Aerospace, Inc.
XTI Aerospace (XTIAerospace.com) (NASDAQ:XTIA) is the parent company of XTI Aircraft Company, an aviation business based near Denver, Colorado, currently developing the TriFan 600, a fixed-wing business aircraft designed to have the vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) capability of a helicopter, speeds of 345 mph and a range of 700 miles, creating an entirely new category – the vertical lift crossover airplane (VLCA). Additionally, the Inpixon (inpixon.com) business unit of XTI Aerospace is a leader in real-time location systems (RTLS) technology with customers around the world who use the Company's location intelligence solutions in factories and other industrial facilities to help optimize operations, increase productivity, and enhance safety. For more information about XTI Aerospace, please visit XTIAerospace.com and HangerXStudios.com (aviation innovation podcast), and follow the company on LinkedIn, Instagram, X, and YouTube.
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act, and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this press release, including without limitation, statements about the products under development by XTI, the advantages of XTI's technology, and XTI's customers, plans and strategies are forward-looking statements.
Some of these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking words, including "believe," "continue," "could," "would," "will," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "plan," "target," "projects," or the negatives of these terms or variations of them or similar expressions. All forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are based upon estimates, forecasts, and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by XTI Aerospace and its management, are inherently uncertain, and many factors may cause the actual results to differ materially from current expectations. XTI undertakes no obligation to revise any forward-looking statements in order to reflect events or circumstances that might subsequently arise. Readers are urged to carefully review and consider the risk factors discussed from time to time in XTI's filings with the SEC, including those factors discussed under the caption "Risk Factors" in its most recent annual report on Form 10-K, filed with the SEC on April 16, 2024, and in subsequent reports filed with or furnished to the SEC.
Contacts
General inquiries:
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Web: https://xtiaerospace.com/contact/
Investor Relations:
Crescendo Communications
Tel: +1 212-671-1020
Email: [email protected]
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SOURCE XTI Aerospace, Inc.