EMG (Electric Motor Glider) Archives

Adventure Aircraft, Inc. EMG (Electric Motor Glider)

Website: http://www.electricmotorglider.com

Phone: (530) 824-0644

Corning, CA 96021 - USA

Intriguing Light Aircraft Views from EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2017

By Dan Johnson || August 20, 2017 Leave a Comment

Before America becomes completely consumed with Eclipse Viewing Fever, you might want to pull your (solar filter-protected) eyes away from the soon-to-darken sky to catch a few glimpses of intriguing aircraft from EAA's summer celebration of flight.

In this pre-Eclipse weekend post, I'll show you some images of cool flying things I saw at the big event. Starting off with my fascination about spaceflight, EAA communications guru Dick Knapinski told of the challenges of arranging an 80-foot-tall flying machine on the central Boeing Plaza square. This is where you see a changing kaleidoscope of aircraft from old to new and slow to fast. However, no aircraft I've ever seen in this location flies as fast, stands as tall, or is more unique than the Blue Origin rocket. From the billionaire-thick wallet of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos comes this space flight company that is competing with Space Exploration or SpaceX among others in the new era of private space companies. The latter corporation may be snatching the lion's share of mainstream news but Blue Origin actually made the first successful landing of a rocket and this was the very equipment on display, charred exterior and all. Crowds lined up to have a gander.

Nearby, from one of light aviation lightest aircraft sellers — Michael LeMaire and his X-Air LSA — was the first public debut of the Stratos 714. Talk about having all the right toys in your hangar, eh? One one hand you could have a very lightweight fun flyer like X-Air LS for joy-ride flying around the patch or around the region. Or, if you gotta go places in a hurry, hop in your sleek jet and zoom past 400 knots. Michael has been pursing the Stratos project for several years, since before 2011, and the aircraft is now flying. It reminds me of another project called Sportjet from Colorado. It also looks a bit like Cirrus single engine Vision jet. All three are similar by virtue of being single engine jets. The latter already has orders and a factory to produce it while Michael and his team are still assembling the myriad pieces of this puzzle.

Machines like Stratos aren't what we usually cover here — any more than space rockets — but since it was beautiful to behold and is coming from one of our LSA suppliers and supporters, I enjoyed a look-see and thought you might as well. On the way to the Ultralight Area — rebadged as the Fun Fly Zone (an accurate name, IMHO) — we passed by the antique airplane area with its own red barn, seen in the background of the nearby image. What caught my attention was the snazzy paint job or decal on this taildragger. It doesn't compare to the superlative FK-51 that may (or may not ever) arrive in America. Jon Hansen and his family team has been waiting far too long for their order to arrive but what I saw at Oshkosh '17 was a mighty fine paint or decal job on which some owner invested many hours and considerable amount of cash, I'm guessing. The bullet hole effect has been seen everywhere but I admired the detailed patchwork finish resembling an airplane covered with hundreds of tiny aluminum pieces. Well done!

Finally, we arrived in arguably my favorite area of EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, the Fun Fly Zone, where we found many aircraft I will report — and about which Videoman Dave and I shot many videos. We didn't do a video on the two-seat version of Adventure Aircraft's EMG (Electric Motor Glider) but we shot a video on the single seater earlier. Creator Brian Carpenter has invested a few years in this nifty project as he breaks new ground; the two-seater tells me the product is getting closer to the market. EMG-2 (my name) has Brian's signature look to it and I'm guessing it would be a hoot to fly. You can see his shiny electric motor at the aft end of the fuselage, giving a vaguely equivalent look to a Piper Cub with the engine cylinders sticking out of the cowling …only Brian's bird will make a lot less noise slipping through the sky. I hope you enjoyed this glance at four completely different aircraft. Now, go enjoy the eclipse but don't forget your solar glasses!

Before America becomes completely consumed with Eclipse Viewing Fever, you might want to pull your (solar filter-protected) eyes away from the soon-to-darken sky to catch a few glimpses of intriguing aircraft from EAA’s summer celebration of flight. In this pre-Eclipse weekend post, I’ll show you some images of cool flying things I saw at the big event. Starting off with my fascination about spaceflight, EAA communications guru Dick Knapinski told of the challenges of arranging an 80-foot-tall flying machine on the central Boeing Plaza square. This is where you see a changing kaleidoscope of aircraft from old to new and slow to fast. However, no aircraft I’ve ever seen in this location flies as fast, stands as tall, or is more unique than the Blue Origin rocket. From the billionaire-thick wallet of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos comes this space flight company that is competing with Space Exploration or SpaceX among others in the new era of private space companies.

Adventure Aircraft — Electric Motor Glider

By Dan Johnson || August 19, 2016 2 Comments

Adventure Aircraft may be a new name but you may know the man behind it. He's Brian Carpenter and with his wife and partner Carol has become the primary source for classes leading to attendees becoming LSA Repairman. In whatever spare time that allows, Brian has been working on the aircraft featured in this video. This is a pure-electric-powered motorglider in one and two seat options. As a one-place EMG it can qualify as a Part 103 ultralight vehicle; with two seats it must be Experimental Amateur Built. Watch for more info.

Adventure Aircraft may be a new name but you may know the man behind it. He’s Brian Carpenter and with his wife and partner Carol has become the primary source for classes leading to attendees becoming LSA Repairman. In whatever spare time that allows, Brian has been working on the aircraft featured in this video. This is a pure-electric-powered motorglider in one and two seat options. As a one-place EMG it can qualify as a Part 103 ultralight vehicle; with two seats it must be Experimental Amateur Built. Watch for more info.

Affordable EMG … Electric Motor Glider

By Dan Johnson || August 4, 2014 4 Comments

Electric Motor Glider in prototype form with its "sustainer" motor showing at the rear of the cockpit enclosure (detail photo below).

EMG prototype's "sustainer" electric motor is used after tow launch from a ground vehicle.

EMG is a mix of customer fabricated aluminum box-and-truss plus part from kitbuilder, Quicksilver Aeronautics.

Carol Carpenter sits in the front of Adventure Aircraft's two seat Experimental Amateur Built model in development. It will use two electric motors (details in article).

Update 8/8/14 — See our video interview about EMG at the end. An unpowered EMG — or Electric Motor Glider — from Adventure Aircraft has already taken 400 flights; it has also been fitted with a small electric motor ... complete with carbon folding prop. A new Experimental Amateur Built (EAB) two seater is now taking shape and both variations were on exhibit at AirVenture 2014 in the newly named Fun Fly Zone (formerly Ultralight Area). EMG's spark is provided by the dynamic duo of Brian and Carol Carpenter of Rainbow Aviation, well known for their LSA maintenance courses including the LSR-M (Light-Sport Repairman Maintenance) credential that has prepared many mechanics to do serious work on the growing fleet of LSA. EMG builder Adventure Aircraft is a subsidiary of Rainbow. Evidently this hard working pair aren't fond of wasting many hours with something so mundane as sleep because the project is unfolding quite swiftly. Their vigorous pace to propel EMG's future success depends to a significant degree on parallel development of new technologies, primarily battery development. EMG development has become more visible in the last year after taking its first flight in December 2013. Early flights were conducted as a glider towed up by a Honda Quad Runner. EMG's gross weight is designed at 750 pounds to allow for several variations on the theme. For example, EMG can be built as a compliant Part 103 ultralight vehicle and later converted to an EAB, creator Brian Carpenter explained. Both Part 103 and EAB versions can be operated with multiple electric motors — a much less complex proposition than using multiple liquid fuel engines. A glider pilot can fly EMG solo as an EAB with multiple electric motors without needing a multiengine rating or a medical, according to Adventure Aircraft. EMG offers folding wings and tail and has a single large shock-absorbing centerline wheel. The removable "training wheels" use three quick-release pins that need only 30 seconds to remove. Such standard gear is useful for training and when maneuvering the aircraft with its wings folded. EMG is equipped with full-span flaperons that extend 30 degrees down and 8 degrees upward in what's known in the sailplane world as "reflex." Manual elevator trim helps the pilot adjust stick pressures though Brian reports EMG exhibits very stable and forgiving flight qualities. If parts of the EMG look vaguely familiar to you, good eye! Adventure Aircraft is collaborating with Quicksilver Aeronautics on the manufacturing of EMG. "Wing covers are built by Quicksilver and we are obtaining many parts from them," said Brian. He explained that his enterprise has been representatives for the iconic Southern California company for many years and the new management of the company led by President Will Escutia has become a willing partner as Adventure gets ever closer to production of the EMG. Quicksilver is rapidly strengthening and serious player with a new SLSA model, growing U.S. and international distribution, and diversity represented by the connection with Adventure Aircraft and EMG. Quicksilver supplies numerous hardware components to Adventure, with tubing in their signature blue anodizing and the longtime kit producer builds wing coverings using sewn Dacron similar to that used on their powered aircraft line. "Theoretical flight of three hours are possible with current technology," forecast Brian (emphasis ours). The next, two seat prototype will be flown with two 20-horsepower Predator 37 motors from Plettenburg of Germany while the original proof-of-concept prototype seen at AirVenture 2014 had a single "sustainer" motor emerging at the rear (photo). Video on Adventure Aircraft shows this aircraft in operation. "Motors, controllers, batteries, and props are all off-the-shelf components of the giant-scale RC aircraft industry," said Brian. The airframe is a unique, new creation. Keep up with the development by following Brian's often updated progress blog. If you are as enthusiastic as I've become and want to consider purchase, what will an EMG set you back? Adventure Aircraft lists a Part 103 or Experimental Amateur Built Fast Build Kit for $16,000 before the electric propulsion system. If you can do "some welding," EMG is even more affordable at $12,000. As Brian explained in our video interview, "While you build the kit in preparation for electric power, the state of technology will continue to advance." Components like batteries are going through intense development and as with computer technology, the longer you wait the better — and cheaper — it gets, so why buy those elements until you are ready for them? If you want to check out the kit effort before diving in, Adventure will sell plans for $300 and you can upgrade from that point. Watch our video with Brian Carpenter, developer of EMG Electric Motor Glider: