Can Aircraft Be Far Behind?

On Tue, 09 Jan 2007 14:38:16 GMT, Larry Dighera
wrote:

http://www.teslamotors.com/

I recall an article last year that talked about a light sport aircraft
that had been fitted with an electric motor of ~100hp and then powered
by a battery... But do not remember the important details, like
whether it had flown, and if so - the range.

I did a quick Google search but am not having luck finding it (my
search parameters only seem to find RC/Electric planes).

Anyone else remember the article?

-Nathan

"Larry Dighera" wrote in message
...
http://www.teslamotors.com/

There is already a very functional self launching sailplane, with
retractable motor, in production in Europe, as I recall. I remember it from
one of the groups several months back, but can't for the life of me remember
the name, and don't have time to search for it, right now. I was impressed.
--
Jim in NC

On Tue, 9 Jan 2007 18:14:15 -0500, "Morgans"
wrote in :


"Larry Dighera" wrote in message
.. .
http://www.teslamotors.com/

There is already a very functional self launching sailplane, with
retractable motor, in production in Europe, as I recall. I remember it from
one of the groups several months back, but can't for the life of me remember
the name, and don't have time to search for it, right now. I was impressed.

Me too. The Antares was a long time in development, but it's now
certified:
http://www.lange-flugzeugbau.de/htm/...tares_20E.html

Larry Dighera wrote:
http://www.teslamotors.com/

The real issue is probably the lack of a big enough market for such
innovations in the GA sector. Aviation in general is a very hard
business to make money in and even giants like Boeing and Airbus seem
to be never too far from slippery ground.

On 9 Jan 2007 15:41:53 -0800, wrote in
. com:

Larry Dighera wrote:
http://www.teslamotors.com/

The real issue is probably the lack of a big enough market for such
innovations in the GA sector.

That is an excellent point, as it always is when considering the
aviation market. Thank you for raising it.

Aviation in general is a very hard business to make money in and
even giants like Boeing and Airbus seem to be never too far from
slippery ground.

However, new technologies do seem to appear in the aviation
marketplace regularly, the use of composites and titanium for aircraft
structures for instance. And an electrically powered aircraft was
recently certified, so there is evidence, that despite the small
aviation market, aviation still manages to lead the way in technologic
innovation to some extent.

http://www.teslamotors.com/

Theres no soul to me in that, its batteries that make it go... theres
no mechanical engineering there (don't take that too literally), but in
an IC engine there's movement theres combustion, there's things
spinning about, in this electric motor things just are.

The brilliance of it, the raw humanity behind it isn't there anymore...
it's just a high tech toy.

On 9 Jan 2007 17:14:14 -0800, "
wrote in
.com:

http://www.teslamotors.com/

Theres no soul to me in that, its batteries that make it go...

It's true, that petroleum was once alive (I'll leave the soul aspect
to those who have been inculcated to need religiosity), but lithium
batteries are the child of man's genius none the less.

theres no mechanical engineering there (don't take that too literally), but in
an IC engine there's movement theres combustion, there's things
spinning about,

According to information at the link above, there are about 100
"things" moving. That's one hundred times more opportunity for an
internal combustion engine part to fail in flight. Or don't you find
that fact significant?

in this electric motor things just are.

Right. One moving part, the rotor.

The brilliance of it, the raw humanity behind it isn't there anymore...
it's just a high tech toy.

The romance is a subjective point of view. If one is a machinist,
s/he probably shares your view. If one is an electrician or EE, s/he
sees the beauty of simplicity and efficiency.

But I understand what you mean. It's like comparing a player piano to
an electronic keyboard. Something is lost to progress.

According to information at the link above, there are about 100
"things" moving. That's one hundred times more opportunity for an
internal combustion engine part to fail in flight. Or don't you find
that fact significant?

Thats the brilliance of it... theres hundreds of moving parts, it's by
no means efficient or refined, yet there are more incidents and
accidents cause by the failure of natures most sofisticated creature at
piloting the plane than there are incidents and accidents caused by the
brute under the cowling.

According to information at the link above, there are about 100
"things" moving. That's one hundred times more opportunity for an
internal combustion engine part to fail in flight. Or don't you find
that fact significant?

I don't think my last post went through correctly so here it goes
again...

The brilliance of those hundreds of moving parts that fail is just in
the fact that they hardly ever do... pilots and humans, some of the
most sophisticated animals nature has created fail more often than
engines do, the simplicity of the electric motor won't get rid of those
accidents.

Actually, aircraft (specifically motor gliders) are far ahead!

See: http://www.nadler.com/public/Antares.html


It might take a little while before the power efficiency of batteries
equals the needs of a useful airplane...


Kirk
66