Drive unit characteristics of a completely electrical passenger aircraft

Aviation has, over the years, become an inseparable element of human life. Airplanes are very commonly used for various tasks, such as transport of passengers and goods, military attack and defence, rescue, recreation and so on. In spite of the many advantages of aviation, one cannot ignore its disadvantages. The most important disadvantages of aviation are the emissions that cause atmospheric pollution and noise. Additionally, one should remember about the decreasing stocks of non-renewable fuels. These drawbacks affect human health and the natural environment. Therefore, a good alternative to conventional drive units in aircraft may turn out to be electric drive units in the near future. The aim of this article is to check the extent to which today’s knowledge and technology allow the use of electric drive units instead of conventional aircraft drive units. This article presents the concept of electric aircraft, from the electric drive unit to its power supply system. The feasibility of designing an electric jet drive unit for a passenger aircraft was analysed based on the performances of PZL 104 Wilga 35 and Boeing B787 Dreamliner.