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Lightweight parts made by TE when the company needs them.”

Connectivity feature in many of “There are some eVTOLs flying, just not flying
commercially yet,” adds McAlonis. “We have
the electric vertical take-off and been working with some of the players in
the field for several years now. Joby, Archer,
landing (eVTOL) aircraft that are Volocopter, Lilium; their aircraft have our
products. We make some of the best prod-
currently being developed ucts in the industry for power switching, wire
and cables, connectors, and fiber optics. We
are essential to the sector.”
By Arun Sivasankaran “People ask what is so special about wires,”
says McAlonis, who heads the company’s
hat is it that companies like Joby, Archer, Volocopter, advanced system and architecture team.
and Lilium have in common, apart from the desire “You must remember that you are dealing
to make it big in the advanced air mobility (AAM) with megawatts of power. We have specific
W market? Parts made by TE Connectivity. wires for different environments. The typical
characterization is temperature. If I have
At the Paris Air Show earlier this year, an eye-catching transpar- something on an engine, it must run very
ent model of an eVTOL vehicle highlighted the company’s broad hot, versus something not. What is different
portfolio of interconnects, harnessing components, sensors, and is the different grades of polymers, the con-
fiber optics that are extensively used in various eVTOL aircraft ductor selection for the wiring, and the cable
being developed. The parts answer the industry’s call for light- construction.”
weight components, helping to reduce the overall weight of the
aircraft without compromising performance. The range of products that the company
produces enables it to provide customized
Springing into action soon after NASA announced, a few years solutions. “Somone might say, ‘I like this
ago, that it would invest in Electrified Aircraft Propulsion (EAP) product, but I need it lighter.’ Another cus-
research, TE Connectivity began investing time and resources tomer might say, ‘I have really tight spaces.’
into developing products that suit the needs of such aircraft. Someone else will like a power feeder but
The company currently produces more than 120 different parts want improved flexibility,” says McAlonis.
enabling the next generation of flight. “For equivalent power rating, we can change
materials and go to options like aluminum
The company’s extensive involvement in the AAM sector did not instead of copper. We have to increase wire
happen by chance. “We share with our customers our technol- gauge; copper has a certain bendability while
ogy roadmap,” says Matthew McAlonis, Engineering Fellow and aluminum is stiffer. We have flattened cables
Director of Advanced Systems and Architecture for the Aerospace, and some that are very flexible.”
Defence & Marine business unit at TE Connectivity. “Part of what
my team does is look into the future for 5-10 years and work with Focus on Reducing Weight
customers to develop products for when they need them. We talk
about timing and aircraft certification because we might have Unlike conventional aircraft that loses about
to develop something that must get industry standardized. That one-third of takeoff mass due to fuel burn
way, the products will have the technology readiness level for at takeoff and continues to lose weight as
ASIAN AIRLINES & AEROSPACE JULY - SEPTEMBER 2023 | 19