Electric power rivets the attention of many pilots even while the development of this power to propel airplanes continues to progress. If one uses solar cells, a designer need not necessarily rely on batteries. Eric Raymond, an American soaring and hang glider pilot, has been exploring solar-powered flight for some years. In this video we look at his newest project, the high-span Sunseeker Duo in which he and his wife plan to fly across and around Europe.
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The Airplane Factory — Sling
You should already know the Sling. The South African design set a new benchmark by coming off design and initial development to take an east-to-west trip around the globe. That showed the confidence of designers Mike Blyth and James Pittman. At Sun ‘n Fun 2013, we spoke with reps from The Airplane Factory USA who answered questions about flight characteristics and future plans plus talk about the kit Sling they’re assembling. Watch this video to get all the facts.
Yunec International — eSpyder electric airplane (2013)
You might see the Flightstar ultralight in this aircraft and you’d be correct. Now owned by Yuneec International, the design has evolved into the eSpyder, a solely electric-powered aircraft and we believe it is the very first to win certification as an electric airplane (by the German-sanctioned authority called DULV). We speak with Flightstar designer Tom Peghiny about his creation and its systems.
Flight Design — MC (2011)
Flight Design has lead the Light-Sport Aircraft market since Day One, selling variations of its all-carbon fiber CT series including the present-day CTLS. The MC is the German company’s new all-metal airplane. MC stands for Metal Concept. With conventional construction, repairs are easier and many mechanics are familiar with working in aluminum. This brings flight schools to look at MC, but a lower price attracts everyone.
Pilots and Manufacturers… Help Rescuers Help You
HYPOTHETICAL SCENARIO — You crash landed your airplane at an airport. You are unconscious inside. Emergency crews race to assist but they are worried about your airplane having a powerful rocket motor that might injure them as they try to extricate you. What do you do? More advisably, what should you have already done?
Plenty of smart aviators and nearly every salesperson will tell you safety doesn’t sell. Pilots buy performance, range, sleek lines, comfort, and the latest instrumentation. Most take for granted that the aircraft is well-built and designed with stable characteristics and reliable systems. No matter their ultimate value, safety systems simply aren’t sexy.
Tell that to Cirrus Design, the Minnesota startup (back in the late ’90s) that did a terrific job of selling “that airplane with the parachute.” Of course, their SR20 and SR22 also steadily acquired all the dazzling features they could incorporate but any Cirrus rep’ is likely to agree the whole airframe parachute system, now called CAPS, was a leading reason why they did so well.
Merlin PSA Takes “Exhilarating” First U.S. Flight
One of the fast paced developments I’ve observed has been Aeromarine LSA’s new Merlin PSA. “PSA” stands for Personal Sport Aircraft and the Florida company may be truly onto something interesting.
While recognizing they are very capable airplanes, many lament the cost of carbon fiber speedsters with glass cockpits and autopilots. Aeromarine LSA perceives an opening.
Introduced at the U.S. Sport Aviation 2016 event in Sebring last month, proprietor Chip Erwin said Merlin PSA drew questions: “It only costs $35,000?” and, “That price really includes the engine?”
A longtime entrepreneur in the light aircraft manufacturing game, Chip sees a way to attract buyers with a very modestly priced aircraft that is fully enclosed, made with all metal construction and with interesting powerplant choices.
The first U.S. Merlin PSA is powered with the 65 horsepower Rotax 582 that provide outstanding performance for such a light aircraft.
Breezer Gains EASA’s Restricted Type Certificate
A well-worn line is often repeated by those trying to gain approval for an aircraft. The line is typically employed referring to FAA Part 23 type certification because that regulation dictates massive documentation of design, testing, production systems, and more. It is often stated humorously but it’s quite serious.
“When the paperwork weighs more than the airplane, you’re done!” It means an impressive amount of documentation is required to get FAA’s blessing for a new Cessna-Cirrus-Diamond-Piper.
In recent news about the approval of a Light-Sport Aircraft by the European Aviation Safety Agency, Breezer lays claim to a fairly rare credential.
Breezer is only the fourth LSA I am aware of to achieve Restricted Type Certificate approval from EASA, the Europe Union equivalent to FAA. The first two were (in order) PS-28 Cruiser from Czech Sport Aircraft followed by the CTLS-ELA from Flight Design. Both were awarded at Aero 2012.
Glowfly Update; Clever Name—Clever Project
What’s in a name? I like Glowfly, as a sort of double entendre. It could suggest “Go fly,” or it might refer to glow as in the spark employed to start a turbine engine. Yup, in case you didn’t see our earlier article by Dave Unwin, the newly renamed Glowfly is a jet-powered sailplane that uses electric-powered main wheel propulsion to assist. How’s that for — as my favorite British comedy troupe, Monty Python, used to say — “something completely different?”
Formerly called GloW (which nearly everyone was sure to misspell; certainly your smarty-pants smartphone would never get the capitalization right), Glowfly is moving along smartly. Here’s an update the folks at ProAirport sent along.
“The first public reveal — Project Glow becomes Glowfly,” glowed the ProAirport team.
In the last weekend of November at the Flyer Live show, ProAirport said, “We were overwhelmed by the number of visitors to the ProAirsport stand. It was truly fantastic to meet and talk to all these extremely interested people who had made a beeline for us after hearing and reading all about Project Glow [the project’s earlier name].” They reported that many interested pilots specifically came to see Glowfly live, as the show name suggests.
Two LSA Manufacturers Score Overseas
American readers of ByDanJohnson.com may be surprised to hear that more than a third of all visitors are from outside the United States. In a related fact, America has more pilots than any other country (very roughly half of the world aviator population) but more light aircraft are sold in other country by a ratio of around 10:1. These figures are fuzzy for a number of reasons but the point is that for LSA, the world is their market.
That statement is further proven by two recent successes.
Evektor reported it successfully passed the audit of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) for production at the company’s Kunovice, Czech Republic plant. “CAAC’s audit team inspected the production facilities of Evektor-Aerotechnik focused on quality assurance, engineering and manufacturing, and quality inspections of fixed wing light sport aircraft,” said Evektor.
This Czech company — the first to obtain FAA acceptance back in 2005 — was able to prove compliance with CAAC requirements for Light-Sport Aircraft, meaning Evektor is fully authorized by the CAAC for deliveries of SportStar SL aircraft to the Chinese market.
Racing Down Electric Avenue … Here Comes Airbus
At the recently concluded Palm Springs Expo, a keynote address was provided by George Bye, the man behind the Sun Flyer project that aims to put electric two seaters into flight schools. Pipistrel is already selling into this market with its Electro (video) and while only a small number of aircraft are in use, the race is on for more … much more.
Airbus made big news back in July when a race developed to see who would cross the English Channel first in an electric powered airplane. Of course, the whole thing was a bit moot because it had been done years before. Longtime electric pioneer Eric Raymond of Sunseeker Duo noted, “It was already done in 1981 by the Solar Challenger, which flew from Paris to London at 14,000 feet. [Famous hang glider pilot and manufacturer Gerard] Thevenot even flew an electric trike across.
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