The grand show called Aero in Friedrichshafen, Germany (that I’m not at… darn!) is happening at the same time as Sun ‘n Fun. Fortunately I have some reporters who offered to help and one of them is Mike Friend. Thanks to Mike, I can offer a report on an electric aircraft, at which the German show always does magnificently. His article follows. —DJ
The future looks electric. What if your love in aviation is aerobatic flying? That game is about to change.
Hangar 55, a new Swiss company, has introduced an electric version of the delightful Silence Twister with financial support from the Hamilton watch company. Equipped with a prototype Siemens electric motor of around 90 horsepower, and with Kokam battery cells from Korea, the airplane delivers 20 minutes of smooth — and quiet — aerobatics.
Pilot Nicolas Ivanov reports that after flying this airplane, everything else seems old fashioned. Battery power seems ideal for applications where endurance is not required, at least until the next generation of batteries becomes available.
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Electric Power — Chip Erwin’s new development (4/15)
Electric aircraft are a major buzz with even aviation gian Airbus working on their eFan. That’s still years away and will surely be expensive. However, SportCruiser developer Chip Erwin has an all-new motor with specially adapted battery. The details should impress you and he is also developing new single place airplanes — that he calls PSA or Personal Sport Aircraft — which will be powered by the new electric propulsion.
Adventure Aircraft — Electric Motor Glider
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.
Aviad — Zigolo MG12 (electric motoglider 2014)
How about an electric airplane you can buy for less than $20,000? Delivered as “almost ready to fly” Italy’s Zigolo is offered in the USA at South Lakeland Airpark (where you see this aircraft flying). Proprietor Chip Erwin, originator of the SportCruiser, tells us how he added electric power to Zigolo and flew it cross country to Sun ‘n Fun 2014. This is not a family travel airplane but for those who enjoy soaring or leisure flying, Zigolo represents an economical purchse.
Evektor — EPOS Electric SportStar (2013)
Evektor’s SportStar was the very first to win Special LSA approval and the company since established a long tradition of constantly updating the design (see all our coverage to follow this). The latest, which company designers thought was just a demonstration project, is EPOS, an electric powered version of SportStar. The idea was so well received, they sold 10 at the Aero 2013 show. Here you can see our interview about the details of the electric installation.
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.
es-Electric Sports — eLift electric propulsion
Some of the very lightest aircraft at the huge Aero Friedrichshafen 2013 event were those for hang gliding or light trike flying. They were also electric powered, proving again the idea that lightweight flying machines can employ electric power today. In this video we look at several variations on the theme and hear about special features to make electric power work.
Phoenix Air — electric ePhoenix (2013)
We know the elegant Phoenix, a sleek motorglider that also enjoys flying powered cross country flights (more on an especially long flight in another video). At Aero 2013 we had a chance to visit with Martin Stepanek about Phoenix Air’s pure-electric aircraft called the ePhoenix. Martin helps us understand the details of electric power in a modern, efficient Light-Sport Aircraft.
Electric Aircraft — ULS electric motorglider (2013)
Like many of you, we began admiring this handsome motorglider at AirVenture 2012 where it made a first appearance. How could you not like these lines? After realizing this was another in Randall Fishman’s line of electric-powered aircraft, interest grew even more intense. You can watch our earlier video but in this version we find out more about flying the ULS and we see scenes of Randall flying in the new Paradise City at Sun ‘n Fun.
Electric Aircraft Corp — Electraflyer ULS
Randall Fishman is widely considered the pioneer of electric aircraft, having demonstrated — and regularly flying — his Electraflyer trike at Oshkosh 2007. Now in his fourth generation, Randall’s Electraflyer ULS is the best yet, in my opinion. We get a chance to hear about its development and examine it closely. It’s so new (summer 2012) that his website doesn’t cover it yet but more will follow, he assures us.
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