Commuter Aircraft

The Commuter Aircraft is a concept for a modern 9-seater twin-turboprop aircraft configuration, designed with a low-wing and a T-shaped tail and built for efficient short commuter flights (up to 600 kilometres).

This design represents the current state of the art. It serves as a basis for exploring how new technologies and configurations can improve the performance of future aircraft. By comparing key results of this basic concept with those of new designs, the effects of novel technologies can be estimated. Many current aircraft of the certification class EASA CS-23 still rely on technology from the 1970s and 1980s, so the introduction of more advanced solutions has the potential to significantly improve fuel efficiency, speed and overall performance. The concept is based on the design of the Cessna 441, a model that entered service in 1977, but with updated cabin geometry and mission requirements for low-density commuter flights between small airports.

This concept represents an intermediate step between reference and baseline aircraft concepts, in that it represents the current generation technology and does not include any assumptions about future technology advancements.