Electric light aircraft

[Nigel H-J]

Only has 30 minutes powered flight at a top speed of 140mph but Siemens are hoping this will increase. One problem, if the airport/airfield you are flying to has a runway blocked for some reason then a diversion would be out of the question. Only good for a local flight around the area for now!! wonder when they will start to market it?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/business-4 ... tric-plane

Regards
Nigel

[spatialpro]

Two advantages are:

1) it is not aspirated, so no problems with fuel mixture, carb freezing etc.

2) the acceleration will be phenomenal, when compared with a like-for-like single prop GA aircraft, rather like the electric cars vs. petrol cars (not that 0-60 was ever a big deal for aviators, but it will be very responsive if you need to abort an approach or such like... in fact if IAS were very low torque-stall may actually end up being an issue!)

If they tripled the endurance (and I had the money to buy into GA) I'd rather have one of these than a conventional piston-prop.

[spatialpro]

Thinking about it some more, if they made a contra-prop version GA flying would be sooooo easy-peasy!

I imagine the gearbox required would reduce efficiency though (and therefore range), unless they used two electric motors in a similar fashion to the old Double Mamba in the Gannet...

[SkippyBing]

2) the acceleration will be phenomenal, when compared with a like-for-like single prop GA aircraft, rather like the electric cars vs. petrol cars

I don't think that's right, electric cars have great acceleration from start as they produce max torque at zero RPM, with a prop it's already spinning so you won't see that advantage.

[Dev One]

And acceleration of the aircraft is reliant on the prop not stalling...

[airboatr]

I love all thinks electric ,so of course I'd love to get a chance to fly the eFusion around the patch.

I'm still waiting for a full scale model if my first aeroplane... You know, the one with a rubber band?
All I'd need is someone to give me a good wind•up

[Airspeed]

How's this for a wind-up, Joe....would a longer extension lead give you more range?

[Nigel H-J]

Careful Mike, if you wind him up too much he will blow a fuse!!

Regards
Nigel

[airboatr]

Mike, do you plan on winding the hand crank generator at your end of the cord?

...
Nigel.. I've been updated to auto reset circuit breaker.

[Airspeed]

I was thinking of a wind turbine, Joe.
Don't ask where the wind is coming from.