Electric plane flies at Oshkosh airshow
The ElectraFlyer C took to the skies at the EAA AirVenture Oshkosh on Sunday, demonstrating to the crowds below the possibilities of environmentally friendlier electric-powered flight. The folks on the ground were also witness to a huge reduction in noise pollution as the converted Moni motor glider made three passes in front of the air show center. Able to climb into the skies at a rate of 500 feet per minute, the aircraft can cruise for one and a half to two hours at 70 mph using an 18 horsepower motor fed by 5.6 kilowatt hours worth of lithium polymer batteries. The designer of the e-flyer and president of Electric Aircraft Corp., Randall Fishman, received the 2008 Dr. August Raspet Memorial Award for his efforts which was awarded at the end of a forum discussing electric flight technology. Although this craft is not for sale, Mr. Fishman's company does sell "powerplant packages" as well as the Electroflier Trike ultralight. Check out the Kit Planes magazine interview with Randall Fishman with his plane after the jump as well as a bonus video of his electric ultralight taking off and flying.
[Source: AirVenture]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
kert 8:43AM (8/05/2008)
Next step, coat the upper side of the wings with thin-film solar cells. Free flying above the clouds.
Its going to cost a bundle ATM though.
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Don Malin 9:10AM (8/05/2008)
To see the Tesla Roadster of aviation, visit:
http://www.nadler.com/public/Antares.html
Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XTdTf_kQ58&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJvM9MWeADE&feature=related
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John Rowell 10:59AM (8/05/2008)
Way to go ElectraFlyer! We need more electric planes flying the friendly skies :)
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TX CHL Instructor 6:10PM (8/05/2008)
Free flying above the clouds? In your dreams. I have a book to recommend to you: Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences, by John Allen Paulos. You should be able to find it at your local public library.
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Chris M 2:05AM (8/06/2008)
Helios, a solar powere unmanned aircraft, set a high altitude record, almost 90,000 feet, powered by the sun. Gossamer Penguin, a solar powered human carrying aircraft has also flown, but at a much lower altitude and a slower speed.
So solar powered aircraft are possible with good design and high efficiency solar cells, but the cost is rather high.
So I guess it isn't really "free", just no fuel costs.
stevefazek 11:37PM (8/05/2008)
i dont see the point of electric planes. Electric cars yet planes no they are what needs the energy density
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marklar 9:47AM (8/06/2008)
Have you ever flown an ultralight? Picture being strapped to a flying weedwacker - loud, lots of vibration, lots of maintenance, expensive fuel costs, etc.
By moving to electric power all those issues are resolved. While the technology to make it affordable isn't there yet this paves the way to show that the technology exists and is a viable alternative to the old 2 stroke.
DWPittelli 10:09AM (8/06/2008)
More on the "innumeracy" claim.
The sun's energy is about 1KW per square meter. At 10% efficiency for solar cells, one would need 50 square meters to get 5KW, which would generate about 6 HP continuously. (Presumably there would still be some batteries and the plane would operate like a plug-in hybrid, and could get the 18HP peak power up to a third of the time.) But I believe the Moni has a wing area of just under 10 square meters, which would generate about 1KW.
I doubt that 1KW is enough to keep the plane in the air much longer than would be the case relying only on batteries and thermals, especially after considering the weight and drag of the cells and glue or whatever mounting it to the wings. Maybe the plane would be worth building once, more to get attention and or "green" money.
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ErikZ 11:38PM (8/06/2008)
Spectrolab. claims its "Ultra-Triple-Junction" high efficiency solar cells have a minimum average efficiency of 28.3%. In 2006 testing at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory demonstrated an efficiency of 40.7% using triple-junction solar cells they developed.
It looks like they took the lightest airframe they could find to handle the load. I bet they could make it far more efficient if they designed the airframe to be electric.
I don't expect unlimited flight. But if you can get a useful charge from the solar cells on the wing, you should be able to greatly increase your range.
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Nerdie McSweatervest 4:21PM (8/06/2008)
Re: solar cell efficiency
I imagine another big factor in an airplane is you can't just point your solar cells at the sun like you can with ground-based cells. Unless it's summer and high noon, your power is going to be reduced.
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