Aircraft / Aria T12 Subsonic
A JStream Exclusive Original Concept Aircraft
The Aria T12 Subsonic is a two-abreast, narrow-body, short range twin-engine turboprop commuter airliner produced by Aria Aircraft Company, a commercial aircraft manufacturer headquartered in Denver, Colorado USA, and Dublin, Ireland.
The Aria T12 Subsonic is one of the four original aircraft types developed by Aria Aircraft - the other three being the Aria T42 Transonic, the Aria S152 Supersonic, and the Aria S242 Supersonic - the Aria T12 is designed by default to operate as a hybrid electric-SAF (sustainable aviation fuel) aircraft. Its “flexfuel” capability also allows use of Jet A or Jet A-1 fuel in place of SAF fuel if desired or necessary.
A non-hybrid, all SAF/Jet A fuel version with a more limited range is also available, and by design the T12 has a conversion program allowing the aircraft to be reconfigured to either all fuel or hybrid format. The hybrid version of the T12 includes a charging system that can recharge the aircraft from 5% to 100% within two hours, or from 5% to 80% in a little over an hour.
The T12 program began in 2013 as a clean sheet design to develop a small capacity, STOL-capable commuter airliner with a pressurized cabin. One of the T12’s chief requirements was for the aircraft to be able to safely land and takeoff from Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport on the Dutch Caribbean island of Saba - whose Runway 12/30 measures only 1,312 feet / 400 m long and is the shortest commercial runway in the world.
After three years of design and experimentation, engineers ultimately settled on a fuselage-mounted ducted fan engine design, with a roof-mounted turbo-power intake and a V shaped tail (also known sometimes as a Butterfly Tail). The ducted fan design was selected to provide acoustic shielding and reduce energy waste, thereby cutting noise emissions significantly. The design also acts as a protective device, shielding the aircraft, passengers and others from damage or injury in the event of a propeller failure; it also serves to safeguard against passengers or ground crew accidentally walking into the path of moving propeller blades.
The T12 Subsonic was officially launched in 2016 and a set of three prototype aircraft built. After several years of further modifications, the Aria T12 Subsonic was finally certified in September 2023, and entered into revenue service a month later. The T12 program has seen a healthy amount of orders since introduction, with 60% of orders being for electric hybrids while the remaining 40% are to be configured as dedicated SAF/Jet A fuel aircraft. The hybrid version of the T12 comes with a charging system that can recharge the aircraft from 5% to 80% in just over an hour, or from 5% to 100% in two hours.
In addition to the baseline passenger airliner variant, a quick-change combi known as the Aria T12qc Combi is available, as well as business turboprop configurations with or without the combi option; they are branded respectively as the Aria T12b Bizprop and the Aria T12bqc Combi Bizprop.
Reference: none - fictional
Stats
Stats displayed are for the Aria T12 Subsonic twin-engine commuter aircraft.
Name: Aria T12 Subsonic
Final Assembly Lines: Wichita-ICT, Kansas USA; Belfast-BFS, UK
Role: Twin Engine Regional Commuter Airliner
First Introduction: 26 October 2023
Status: In Production; In Service
Cockpit Crew: One or Two
Seating:
Commuter Airliner: 12 Economy
Business Aircraft; 3-6 Business
Engines: 2 x Sonata Type 16
Cruise Speed: 420 knots (778 km/h; 483 mph)
Runway Requirements:
Takeoff: 1200 feet (366 m)
Landing: 1000 feet (305 m)
Range:
Non-Hybrid (SAF or Jet-A Fuel Only): 750 nmi (1389 km; 863 mi)
Hybrid: up to 900 nmi (1667 km; 1036 mi)
Electric Only: 750 nmi (1389 km; 863 mi)
SAF or Jet-A Fuel Reserves Only: 150 nmi (278 km; 173 mi)