The full-scale mockup serves as a critical tool in the rapid prototyping and ergonomic evaluation of the TriFan 600 flight deck. It will allow XTI’s engineering team to collaborate with both fixed-wing and rotary-wing pilots to optimize critical elements such as the layout of controls, pilot interfaces, vision angles, and ease of ingress/egress. The completion of the mockup is an important step in refining the overall design and ensuring a user-friendly and efficient cockpit experience.

 

“The flight deck mock-up is a key tool for the engineering team to create an optimized and pilot-friendly environment,” said Dave Ambrose, VP of Engineering at XTI Aircraft. “Because the TriFan 600 operates in flight modes of both a fixed wing airplane and a helicopter, we are exploring an optimal design that is comfortable for pilots operating in either environment. Safety is paramount, and this tool will allow us to continue to innovate and optimize the TriFan 600’s pilot environment.”

 

“When we talk about the ‘customer,’ there are many stakeholders for the TriFan 600, one of them being the pilot,” said Scott Pomeroy, Chairman and CEO of XTI Aerospace. “The flight deck human factors mockup will help us ensure we have an airplane that is intuitive and innovative and that pilots love.”

 

In a previous market update, XTI 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
• Type Certification Application – Formally apply to the FAA for type certification of the TriFan 600
• Engine Air Inlets and Exhaust – Optimize air intake and exhaust design to enhance performance and efficiency of the propulsion system
• Fuel System Design – Optimize fuel system design to reduce unusable fuel and increase fuel capacity
• Flight Deck Mockup Design – Develop a flight deck human factors mockup to design and evaluate and optimize ergonomics, pilot controls, and vision polar

To Be Completed:

• 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