On 9/23/2012 10:16 AM, John Cochrane wrote:
From an engineering standpoint, I don't really see why the electrics
don't also charge the battery. If you climb to 3000', in 20 minutes,
surely running the prop in generator mode for 20 minutes or so,
doubling your sink rate temporarily, should recharge the batteries?
This could make a 3000' capacity enough for self launch and
retrieve!.

I haven't heard a designer discuss this, but it is intriguing. My guess
is the cost and the complexity are great enough, it's a better tradeoff
to increase the battery size from a 3000' climb capacity to a 5000'
climb capacity, so you still have 3000' left after a self-launch. The
Silent and similar electric gliders have about that climb capacity; in
fact, I think they allow you to choose the climb capacity by buying
additional battery packs.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to
email me)