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Turbines are extremely reliable and well-understood in aviation propulsion
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This! Anything unproven makes the flight certification process longer. They already have to get their electric side certified, might as well make the backup generator as easily certified as possible.
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Good point. Only have one new tech at a time.

Generation II then.

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My father, a mechanical engineer, was a tireless advocate of the hypocycloid crankshaft mechanism. In the 90s, hybrid vehicles with a hypocycloid-based generator feeding the batteries that make the electric motors go was the application he was going for, especially since hypocycloids function best at constant RPM.
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I say this with all sincerity, I love this sentence:

"My father, a mechanical engineer, was a tireless advocate of the hypocycloid crankshaft mechanism."

For some reason just reading that brought a smile to my face.

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From mechanical engineers I’ve met it almost seems a requirement that they have something they tireless advocate for.
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Yeah. I bet he was.
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