Amphibian, Assystem’s amphibious aircraft
Your challenge :
In a world where environmental issues are at stake and fuel becomes scarcer, the aerospace industry leads the way towards technological innovations on fuel consumption and emissions reduction. Reducing aircraft weight is a great way to diminish fuel consumption, and that relies on innovative materials and manufacturing processes. It is with this in mind that Assystem has designed the Amphibian, an exceptional microlight demonstrator that targets a range of 1,200 km in less than 6 hours, with an empty mass of only 245 kg! To add yet another innovative aspect to this project, this amphibious microlight is able to land and take off on land and water.
Our added value :
The Amphibian’s ambition is to become the only amphibious “ultralight” aircraft on the market, capable of carrying a full load (two passengers and a full fuel tank) while observing European microlight requirements. The need for mass gains led the engineers to select top-range materials (Titanium, carbon, Kevlar®) and to design a fuselage moulded as one piece for faster production and mass gain.
Another innovative characteristic of the Amphibian project is that it is being developed by an international team based in Toulouse (France), Bristol (UK) and Munich (Germany). This approach has prompted Assystem to explore the use of smarter IT and communication systems to aid transnational collaboration, reducing the environmental impact of travel. Another of this project’s key objectives is to promote knowledge transfers between both experienced and junior engineers.