Dunlop Aircraft Tyres partners with UK 'sustainable' aircraft manufacturer

Birmingham, UK – Dunlop Aircraft Tyres Ltd has partnered with UK startup Faradair to advance sustainable aviation technologies.

The companies have agreed to work together on the BEHA (bio electric hybrid aircraft) development programme, to create "a new, more sustainable aircraft tire," said a recent announcement by Faradair.

The BEHA is “net zero-capable” commercial aircraft, which offers a “fantastic opportunity for the future of sustainable aerospace manufacturing,” the 17 May statement said. 

“This sustainable aviation project… focuses on reducing the UK’s carbon footprint whilst providing a regional air travel connectivity solution,” said Clayton Redhead director of global business development for Dunlop Aircraft Tyres. 

The project, he said, “will contribute significantly to Dunlop’s next 100 years providing job security for the Midlands.”

Headquartered at the Imperial War Museum Duxford’s Cambridgeshire airfield, Faradair is developing the 18-passenger/5-tonne payload bio electric hybrid aircraft (BEHA). 

Optimised for hybrid power, it will employ a 1MW Honeywell turbogenerator, delivering electricity to a magniX electric propulsion unit.

Faradair aims to manufacture and operate 300 aircraft by 2030, with a prototype expected to fly in 2024.

The aircraft can be used in a variety of roles including regional air transport, utility and firefighting, according to the Cambridgeshire-based manufacturer.