No, a hybrid system is not necessarily ineffiect at all. In fact, that's what we will see before we see pure electric flight. Sure, a 777 going transatlantic is a far way away on pure electric power, but maybe not in a hybrid version.
Here's the deal in my plane. I cruise at 55% at altitude. My climbs take rarely more than 10-15 mins. My plane would be ideal for a hybrid solution. You takeoff nice and silently and neighbour friendly with electric propulsion at full power. Once airborne, you start up your gas/jet powered genset and run it at 100%. This 100% is the equivalent of the 55% power needed at altitude. So now you can sustain 55% cruise without eating in to your power reserves. Or maybe throttle back to 45% on the electrics, and have the extra 10% charge the battery. Or run the batteries at 75%, thus depleting them slightly, but going faster for a shorter trip etc. Your choice.
The advantage is you don't have to deal with any of the bulls**t of last century:
1. No carb ice.
2. No need for complicated constant speed props (as electrical motors have linear power output and no sweet spot).
3. No TBO - only limited by bearing life.
4. No CO poisoning.
5. No shock cooling.
6. No rich cut.
7. No degradation at altitude, no need for turbos etc.
8. Built in Fadec (brushless motors you set a RPM setting and it keeps it through the controller, no matter what).
9. No need to check oil.
10. Much less weight - 15Kw (21hp) R/C brushless weighs less than 2kg. That means that a O-200 replacement would weigh about 10kg. That leaves a lot of weight for a battery..
11. No dirt.
12. No vibrations.
13. No noise.
14. No leaning at altitude.
Electric is the future and here now. How we chose to store the power to drive them will take a little longer.
Last edited by AdamFrisch; 15th May 2013 at 03:58.