Which 18m FES sailplane to buy?

While I sypathize with Dan Marotta's point of view (and emphatically with John Hebert's) , I think a small dose of reality salts may be in order here.

1) Defective Lythium batteries are a SERIOUS fire hazard! And Lythium fires can be extremely intense. Would you want to schedule your trans Atlantic filght on an aircraft that due to “changing regulations� was carrying those defective batteries in its cargo hold? How would you feel if you were the captain of a container ship? Wonderful though those batteries are, they are still probably the Achellies Heel of the FES system.

2) The FES system (which I firmly believe to be the future of motor gliding) is still in its infancy. How large is the current FES customer base in North (South?) America? As that base expands, it may be reasoable to expect dealors to stock a limited supply of loaner batteries, Right now, probably not.

3) We all owe a debt of gratitude to the folks at LZ Designs for creating a remarkable advancement in glider power. Since it's inception the FES system has already gone through three design enhancements. And since Luca and his folks seem intent on further design improvements (rather than just sitting back and enjoying their profits), I think we can expect much innovation in a few short years. What will FES be like in ten years?

Very good perspective, Matt.Â* Points that I did not consider.

On 11/30/2018 12:42 PM, Matt Herron (Sr) wrote:
While I sypathize with Dan Marotta's point of view (and emphatically with John Hebert's) , I think a small dose of reality salts may be in order here.

1) Defective Lythium batteries are a SERIOUS fire hazard! And Lythium fires can be extremely intense. Would you want to schedule your trans Atlantic filght on an aircraft that due to “changing regulations� was carrying those defective batteries in its cargo hold? How would you feel if you were the captain of a container ship? Wonderful though those batteries are, they are still probably the Achellies Heel of the FES system.

2) The FES system (which I firmly believe to be the future of motor gliding) is still in its infancy. How large is the current FES customer base in North (South?) America? As that base expands, it may be reasoable to expect dealors to stock a limited supply of loaner batteries, Right now, probably not.

3) We all owe a debt of gratitude to the folks at LZ Designs for creating a remarkable advancement in glider power. Since it's inception the FES system has already gone through three design enhancements. And since Luca and his folks seem intent on further design improvements (rather than just sitting back and enjoying their profits), I think we can expect much innovation in a few short years. What will FES be like in ten years?



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Dan, 5J

Hello again everyone,

You all made my point, precisely. So just how many units of various models of FES equipped sailplanes do we need here in North America to reach critical mass, or, where a 'fleet' of aircraft is large enough to make it feasible to have a reserve of batteries on hand somewhere, anywhere? How difficult is it, for example, to have a large and wonderfully successful sport aviation components company the likes of 'Spruce and Specialty', or even our beloved 'Wings and Wheels', to stock a 'reasonable' number of serviceable batteries, either new or reconditioned? Appropriately enough, some of these same company already carry a line of batteries, with all manners of exotic chemicals, from lead acid, to Nicad, to gel, to lithium, to.....whatever the industry needs, and they possess the shipping expertise to deliver these dangerous goods 'overland' pretty much anywhere within a reasonable delay.

Now, please don’t think I am unsympathetic to the enormous efforts made by Luka in resolving these HUGE technological challenges. Quite au contraire mes amis, but before I pluck out anywhere between 120 000 and 200 000 American dineros on new glass, equipped with this marvellous new technology, I and many others need to see improvements in this area. And I wholeheartedly agree with Matt, this IS the future, however a dose of realism is required here. Please chime in here Lukas, yours is the voice that counts the most.

And to the other view expressed about relaxing transportation and handling regulations; as an airline pilot for our national carrier, that is the last thing I want to see happen. On any given flight, we are already carrying anywhere between 50 and 400 kg of lithium batteries IN THE CABIN as it is, depending on one's estimate. Our low cost division alone loads them by the trolley full as part of our on-board entertainment system, which on the narrow body jet is 20 kg or more just for this purpose, and from there it just escalates. Why just on the flight deck, with our jepessen airways and company manuals which are now fully iPad integrated, there is another 5 kg, if you count our personal smartphones and tablets.....anyway, you get my drift.. If anything, expect the regulations to get more complex and convoluted, not the other way around.

Thank you, it is a real pleasure.

John Hebert

I thought the propellor hub problems were with the DG1000 &
Duo Turbo?
I wasn't aware the Antares 18T had this problem as their hub
design is different?
Dave Walsh

On Saturday, December 1, 2018 at 2:15:05 PM UTC-5, Dave Walsh wrote:
I thought the propellor hub problems were with the DG1000 & Duo Turbo?
I wasn't aware the Antares 18T had this problem as their hub design is

No, DG1000 and 18T had same faulty hub (redesigned twice now).
Loose prop when hub breaks often causes havoc (went thru DG wing in ground run,
wing was almost totaled), bounced of fuselage in other instances).
Duo T is completely different (folding prop).