fly_tornado Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 looks alright Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Litespeed Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 That is very nice as a training aircraft. I can imagine a school with a few of these and a spare battery set to hot swap when busy. The whole regeneration can make a lots of sense for a training ship that is doing lots of circuits, takeoffs landings etc. "The future is bright" 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ada Elle Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 I've been flying the Alpha out of YWOL (the airframe that this is based on); it's quite a nice little plane. I can definitely imagine an hour of circuits in it with the electric engine; I wonder if the battery/engine placement puts the CG in the same spot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty_d Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 "Our flight cost about 2 euro...." OK so an hour's flight time is not ideal but this will change as battery efficiency increases. Anyone that says electric is not the way of the future for light aircraft is kidding themselves. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Litespeed Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 I was so Taken by it......................... I thought of how to electrify a hummelbird and how fun that would be. Given the fuel, engine, tank etc can be 130lbs approx that actually makes a reasonable weight fraction for electric. Add in I am 170lbs on a fat day and it could have potential. Empty weight no engine 200 lbs -no big engine mount, no tank, no fuel system Pilot 170lbs Gross 550lbs Thats 180lbs for electric system - motor, mini mount, controller and gauges. Should be quite doable even at low 550lb gross. No it will not have the range of petrol. But it can be a lot more efficient without two cylinders sticking out. It is just a idea but worth consideration. Batteries are getting cheaper and lighter all the time, motors and controllers as well. Quiet flight is here. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Downunder Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 Radiator cap and coolant overflow bottle? A water cooled motor possibly..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Litespeed Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 Assuming a air cooled half VW. But watercooled is possible as well. The cost of a high spec half vw firewall forward looks like $5000. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty_d Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 I've just made a resolution. My next build is going to be electric. They should have the technology perfected by then... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Litespeed Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 It certainly has some merits. And you take your time building and get the engine/battery package last. A few years can make a big saving money wise and tech is more amazing each day. Which also brings back up what is ideal available airframe for a single seat electric? Something like a Sapphire maybe? OR more like a motorglider? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty_d Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 It certainly has some merits.And you take your time building and get the engine/battery package last. A few years can make a big saving money wise and tech is more amazing each day. Which also brings back up what is ideal available airframe for a single seat electric? Something like a Sapphire maybe? OR more like a motorglider? I'd agree a Sapphire looks like a good airframe. Very streamlined. As a pusher though it might be hard to source a prop for the electric motor (if they start doing plug'n'play components.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Litespeed Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 A prop should not be to hard to source. Electric variable pitch would be really great. Could also be used for regeneration as a form of airbrake. But how many horse does a Sapphire need for sustained flight? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pylon500 Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 One thing about the concept of 'regenerative' flying means people will have to go back to learning how to do glide approaches, no more drive 'em back onto the ground. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff13 Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 One thing about the concept of 'regenerative' flying means people will have to go back to learning how to do glide approaches, no more drive 'em back onto the ground. I have learned to fly in the last 12 months, and until I went looking for different aircraft to fly and STOL training, had never done a powered approach in my first 100 hours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ada Elle Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 Pipistrel also make the Taurus Electro, a motorglider... I wonder if you can soar and then regenerate all in the same thermal. then you can use the stored battery power as extra range to find the next thermal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Downunder Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 I'd agree a Sapphire looks like a good airframe. Very streamlined. As a pusher though it might be hard to source a prop for the electric motor (if they start doing plug'n'play components.) A pusher you say!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Birdseye Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 Interesting to read that Siemens barred them from taking the Pipistrel on a flight across the English Channel this week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff13 Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 Here in Australia regulations would have prevented the same journey. 45 mins reserve with a one hour endurance does not give very long out of thecircuit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aj_richo Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 ..As a pusher though it might be hard to source a prop for the electric motor (if they start doing plug'n'play components.) With an electric motor wouldn't you just reverse its direction of rotation to suit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Birdseye Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 Here in Australia regulations would have prevented the same journey. 45 mins reserve with a one hour endurance does not give very long out of thecircuit. The flight had been cleared by French and UK authorities, Siemens said no at the last minute. Hardly good publicity. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest asmol Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 Here in Australia regulations would have prevented the same journey. 45 mins reserve with a one hour endurance does not give very long out of thecircuit. I think i read it differently. It's 1 hour flying time still with a 45 minute reserve left over after 1 hours flying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TezzaP Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 It would appear that there may be more to this than safety concerns. Pipistrel have been at the forefront of energy efficient flight for some years. http://www.flyer.co.uk/aviation-news/newsfeed.php?artnum=2326 And Pipistrels official statement about the situation. http://www.pipistrel.si/news/electric-crosschannel-flight-official-statement Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ada Elle Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 An Alpha can glide across the channel from 7000ft. So if the batteries will let it climb that high... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Birdseye Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 Man powered aircraft have also crossed the channel. I reckon it says a lot about Siemens belief in their technology. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TezzaP Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 Or determination by Airbus for their E-Fan be the first tomorrow. The Airbus website is extensive in their claims for a record breaking flight tomorrow. It's pretty easy to speculate they would have been very unhappy to be upstaged by Pipistrel and Siemens may have been subjected to considerable pressure to pull the plug! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishla Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 The E-Fan looks much much cooler. I'd put my money on that one too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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