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Earth Star Electric Gull 2000


Guest ozzie

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That's impressive ozzie - good to see the thing actually fly, no computer simulations, no pictures, just an ultralight flying with a little motor that you could tuck under your arm. I'm not convinced that batteries are the final answer, but the technology is rapidly getting there, exciting times.

 

 

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There are pluses and negatives....

 

The pluses... very little vibration... less weight required in this area of the airframe...

 

The negatives... Short circuits...

 

But... I reckon within 3 years off the shelf here in Australia is not unreasonable for our local aircraft manufacturing industry...

 

 

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Guest ozzie

So what way would you go if you owned a similar ultralight and it was time to replace that 503/582?

 

You will probably have to add $1500. for a charger. Even if you had to replace a controller or motor over the recycle life of the batteries, you would still be in front on fuel/oil savings.

 

Ozzie

 

 

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It'd be interesting to know how noisy it is in comparison to gas guzzlers. It seemed pretty loud in the video, but that may just have been the automatic volume control giving it a boost.

 

I recall reading once that the prop makes far more noise than the engine, and I know from my electric model days that they could be a bit loud too.

 

 

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And a whole different raft of safety concerns unheard of with Infernal Combustion Engines!

 

I started flying RC Gliders for a hobby when I was 18 and had a lot of fun flying electric RC models too... back then there was very little available off the shelf that was much good so we rolled our own... nothing fancy, just the basic end of the scale... had a lot of great fun with buggy motors and basic Nicads in RC planes... They were never overpowered and could take a few circuits to clear the scrub around the flying field!!! Electric motors and batteries have come a looooooong loooooong way since those days... 20+years ago... wow!

 

Anyhow.... back to safety concerns and electric motors... if you reckon getting tangled up with a prop on a Combustion engine is bad news... try it with an electric! They don't stop until the power is turned off and have a kick like a bull! Its going to take a whole new level of propeller safety.

 

 

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Oh... and I forgot to mention... the only model aircraft I have ever witnessed catch on fire many years ago was my then recently repaired Electra Cub... it took off... got to about 15 feet and started surging and then the motor stopped... landed it and then found ourselves scrambling to get the wing off because the batteries and what passed for a speed control were on fire!

 

 

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So true Tornado... the battery fire I described about was a Nicad fire... and they don't have the fierce reputation of Lipos to explode and burn. If you had lipos in the traditional position of batteries and they caught fire... I reckon from the amount of heat and flame the little ones put out you would be charcoal in 5 seconds flat...

 

 

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You would have to have removable batteries to make an e-aviation viable. Being able to swap out batteries fixes one of the major limitations of the technology. Lipos are prone to fires on charging or if you puncture them.

 

 

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Yep, I had a NiCad explode on me one day when I was fitting it to my (then) 8 year old son's model car (geez, he's just turned 21. How time flies when you're having fun). Ended up with a scar beside my eye and deaf in one ear (but I'd still love an e-UL! 080_plane.gif.36548049f8f1bc4c332462aa4f981ffb.gif)

 

 

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It is correct to assume that a majority of the noise actually comes from the propellor.

 

With the torque available from an electric motor, it will be possible to start using broader chord, slower turning props to cut down noise.

 

Another point to consider is that the engine in the E-Gull is probably bolted directly to the airframe, and all the multiple pulses of the motor are using the airframe as a giant resonating box, making it almost sound like an I/C engine.

 

 

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Guest ozzie

I do think that with the introduction of electric motors there will be a lot of R&D happening with props over the next few years. This will be directed at not only increased performance to match the performance of the electric motors but also the noise problem. We may see some strange looking blades coming from this.

 

exiciting times ahead.

 

ozzie

 

 

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I agree Ozzie... My imagination runs fairly deep with this stuff. Can anyone say personal backpack aeroplane? The ability to cut down weight is one of the big pluses to electric flight... and no need for gearboxes... rpm is infinitely adjustable with the right electronics... I am waiting to be amazed by the technology innovations possible in this field in the next few years... lets hope I am not too old to enjoy them when they come...

 

 

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