Electrically Powered Ultralight Aircraft

Larry Dighera wrote:

There is a 14 HP Powered Paraglider (PPG) engine offered he
http://www.poweredparasports.com/Par...#Jet%20Details
They also state that the weight of their engines ranges from 46 lbs.
to 68 lbs.

If a 14 HP electric propulsion system weighing 46 lbs could be
constructed, apparently it would permit the use of PPGs by pilots up
to 180 lbs.

Yeah sure, but its not practical for anything but an hour or two of
playing around on a Saturday afternoon. You can't carry anything or
go anywhere to accomplish anything except maybe brag about how little
energy you used goofing off for a few hours. Its like blasting around
on a jet ski... basically a total waste of energy without producing
any useful work or benefit to mankind.

Don't get me wrong, I love new technology and if you can afford to
spend money on extra curricular stuff like aimlessley cruising about
in solar powered paragliders or jet skis fine. But don't think you
are doing the world a big favor because you used something other
than gasoline to power it.

On Wed, 08 Aug 2007 01:05:16 GMT, kontiki
wrote in :

Yeah sure, but its not practical for anything but an hour or two of
playing around on a Saturday afternoon.

I'll bet you would have said something similar to the Wrights. :-)
Where's you vision, man?

Now here's an electrically powered aircraft that really is playing
around: http://www.nesail.com/videos/jazz.wmv

"kontiki" wrote

Yeah sure, but its not practical for anything but an hour or two of
playing around on a Saturday afternoon.

Flight training in the pattern is an obvious first application.