The Electric Wonder !

[172driver]

Have a look at this (http://timescorrespondents.typepad.com/charles_bremner/2007/12/kjk-link.html)

[PAPI-74]

Could this run alongside normal GA?.....we will have to wait and see.
Seems an exciting concept though, as long as the power is sustained from the cells.:ouch:

[GOLF_BRAVO_ZULU]

Interesting.

Electric planes will still make some noise on take-off and in cruise -- from the propellor blades thrashing the air.

Anyone for ducted fans?

But they could be salvation for a sport that in Europe is slowly dying, under pressure from rocketing fuel costs, anti-pollution measures

So how expensive will the electricity be and how long before it acquires a special tax? How "anti-pollution" will the electricity generation source be?

and the ire of residents around airfields.

Build a totally silent aeroplane and the buggers would still find something to bind over!

[B2N2]

Diamond/Boeing are soon to fly a DA-20 with a hydrogen cell:
http://www.boeing.com/news/releases/2007/q1/070327e_nr.html

[DX Wombat]

the buggers would still find something to bind over!They would probably object to the shadow cast as it flew overhead as it would deprive the plants in their gardens of vital energy and themselves of a decent suntan. :hmm: :ugh: :*

[IO540]

There is absolutely no problem in building an electric 200kt 4-seat tourer - the 350HP brushless (3-phase) DC motor would weigh no more than 50kg.

It's the batteries..........

and (if they existed) where to charge them from. You would need more than a 13 amp socket ;)

With a massive breakthrough in battery technology (of the order of 10 times better than present best) and nuclear fusion to generate the electricity, we have a good proposal :)

[ShyTorque]

The battery technology can't be too far ahead in the future.
Watch this to see the power that can be stored at present:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=nneZKbKS4ng

Btw, many airfields do have 415 volt 3 phase power supplies so charging shouldn't be a major problem.

[Cusco]

Forgive my naivety but to charge these new electric batteries shirley some fossil fuel has to be burnt or the odd isotope has to be cracked somewhere?

Just because it's further down the line and the electricity appears noiselessly at the flick of a switch, doesn't mean we won't still be paying for it and carbonising the atmosphere.

And I wouldn't like to be mid channel when the volts and amps ran out.

Cusco:rolleyes:

[Mark1234]

Not particularly in favour of electric, and completely agree it largely pushes the impact back upstream.. something that seems to be ignored with the so-called zero emission vehicles, but I can't resist:

And I wouldn't like to be mid channel when the volts and amps ran out.

Wouldn't like to be mid-channel when the avgas ran out either!

Surely still the same management / reserves issue, irrespective of the fuel :)

[BEagle]

The brushless multi-phase DC motor requires quite sophisticated electronic control systems and power inverters, as well as storage batteries. But with the reliability of modern electronics and some system redundancy, that shouldn't present a huge problem?

Software control to optimise rpm prop pitch and monitor power reserves would, of course, be essential.

As long as weight is kept to a minimum. Which is always the problem with electric vehicles - the weight of the battery systems. But at least mobile phone/blackberry/laptop/PDA demands have already improved battery energy density quite significantly.

But could motor+batteries be kept below the weight of, say, an O-360 and around 300 lb of 100LL?

As for charging, solar wing panels could be integrated into a composite structure - and perhaps a small auxiliary diesel generator for back-up charging?

However, the market for an efficient 2/4 seat light electric aircraft with a 3-4 hour endurance is, regrettably, very small. So the ancient spamcan with its 1950s combine harvester engine is liable to rattle along for many years yet.

Perhaps the military UAV sector will stimulate design of something which could be modified for realistic personal transport?

[airborne_artist]

Forgive my naivety but to charge these new electric batteries shirley some fossil fuel has to be burnt or the odd isotope has to be cracked somewhere?

Just because it's further down the line and the electricity appears noiselessly at the flick of a switch, doesn't mean we won't still be paying for it and carbonising the atmosphere.

Not many dinosaurs used to create electricity in France - 80% of their electricity comes from nuclear (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_power_in_France)

[IO540]

The brushless multi-phase DC motor requires quite sophisticated electronic control systems and power inverters

The technology is well established. It is widely used in everything from model aeroplanes (whose brushless motors are as powerful as highly tuned nitro-powered engines of similar size/weight) through industrial controls, right up to very big stuff.

It's the batteries....

I disagree re the market for a 2-4 seater with 4hrs endurance - after all that is all a spamcan does, with "PPL training" fuel management. The problem, even if batteries were available, would be the energy requirement. 100HP is about 75kW and for 3 hrs that is 225kWh. This is cheap enough - about £20 - but at 415V (3 phase) is a lot of amps. If you want say a 3hr recharge that is 75kW drawn (assuming 100% efficiency!) and that is just one aeroplane.

Forgetting real long distance cruisers and looking at low power low weight cases (which is where most electric propulsion is aimed at) one could do stuff like solar charging; for example a private owner who flies once a week could largely solar charge (in the summer) with photovoltaic panels costing as much as the plane itself.

There is a long way to go...

[blue up]

Take of on batteries and when you get above 5000 feet you connect the little Jet-A powered jet-generator which tops up the battery again.

How big a gen would you need and how big a jet power system to run it?

Personally, I use repulsion as a power system. My plane is so ugly that the earth repels it! I believe that the Chevron microlight has a similar system.:ok:E

Blue Up
G-BMMF

[Ptkay]

Perhaps the military UAV sector will stimulate design of something which could be modified for realistic personal transport?

It happens already.
The aero diesel engine development got a boost
by "single fuel battlefield" strategy by DoD.

Development of Thielert engines financed by Predator order...

;)

[aviate1138]

The range of 37 miles is a bit a of a let down!

[Crash one]

So was that paltry effort at Kittyhawk some years ago!!