Full Version: electric plane complete test flight
GAH. I wanted stats on that plane and got nothing but a tiny blurb that it can fly. Looks like a one-seater and won't carry a lot of gear. Fuel weight is likely taken up by lithium instead.
following some via links gave this:
http://www.greenpacks.org/2010/12/16/sonex...raft-takes-off/
http://www.greenpacks.org/2010/12/16/sonex...raft-takes-off/
Still not a lot of information. How short is 'short'?
Although, if you link it in with the regional airport thread...If these guys can get an electric motor that can give it the range that the program wants, it should take care of the efficiency and noise issues all at once.
Although, if you link it in with the regional airport thread...If these guys can get an electric motor that can give it the range that the program wants, it should take care of the efficiency and noise issues all at once.
Why don't they fly with solar power like them?
QUOTE (Doc Byte @ Dec 17 2010, 09:15 PM) 
Why don't they fly with solar power like them?
Surface area. Solar cells aren't efficient enough to be able to generate the kind of power the electric plane requires with its size. The solar plane has the wingspan of an Airbus jumbo jet, after all. This particular plane is a single-seat kit plane that's smaller than a Cessna.
QUOTE (Doc Chase @ Dec 17 2010, 03:23 PM)
The solar plane has the wingspan of an Airbus jumbo jet, after all.
And the weight of a tricycle.
While I can't find any stats, the thing is literally a flying stick. It has no mass and its entire surface area (within reason, of course) is covered in solar cells. My guess is that it's cargo capacity is a few hundred pounds, tops (i.e. 2-4 people) and that's cargo volume is even less.
QUOTE (Draco18s @ Dec 17 2010, 09:44 PM)
And the weight of a tricycle.
While I can't find any stats, the thing is literally a flying stick. It has no mass and its entire surface area (within reason, of course) is covered in solar cells. My guess is that it's cargo capacity is a few hundred pounds, tops (i.e. 2-4 people) and that's cargo volume is even less.
While I can't find any stats, the thing is literally a flying stick. It has no mass and its entire surface area (within reason, of course) is covered in solar cells. My guess is that it's cargo capacity is a few hundred pounds, tops (i.e. 2-4 people) and that's cargo volume is even less.
It's also a single-seater. The rest of the weight is literally battery, because they wanted this thing able to fly all night.
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