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I know there are electric powered sailplanes but



 
 
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  #1  
Old November 16th 07, 09:39 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
YouHelpBuild.com
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Posts: 3
Default I know there are electric powered sailplanes but

How about 100% electric powered ultralights?

What problems can anyone forsee to building a 100% electric ultralight
aircraft for short & mid-range commuters to get back & forth to work
(aside from air traffic issues... it IS a big sky after all)? I
understand the average commute is less than 30 miles in land based
vehicles which would generally mean less than a 30 minute flight for
most people. Of course, ultralights are currently restricted from
flying over neighborhoods, so there would have to be some changes in
regulations for the average person to take off & land an aircraft from
their front drive, but wouldn't it be a reasonable idea?

And, by the way... does anyone know of a decent 100% electric
ultralight aircraft with plans available for homebuilders?
  #2  
Old November 16th 07, 12:11 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Scott[_1_]
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Posts: 367
Default I know there are electric powered sailplanes but

I think one of the hardships of designing an electric ultralight would
be keeping the weight below limits (which is an empty weight of 254
pounds in the USA)...

YouHelpBuild.com wrote:
How about 100% electric powered ultralights?

What problems can anyone forsee to building a 100% electric ultralight
aircraft for short & mid-range commuters to get back & forth to work
(aside from air traffic issues... it IS a big sky after all)? I
understand the average commute is less than 30 miles in land based
vehicles which would generally mean less than a 30 minute flight for
most people. Of course, ultralights are currently restricted from
flying over neighborhoods, so there would have to be some changes in
regulations for the average person to take off & land an aircraft from
their front drive, but wouldn't it be a reasonable idea?

And, by the way... does anyone know of a decent 100% electric
ultralight aircraft with plans available for homebuilders?


--
Scott
http://corbenflyer.tripod.com/
Gotta Fly or Gonna Die
Building RV-4 (Super Slow Build Version)
  #3  
Old November 16th 07, 12:19 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Vaughn Simon
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Posts: 735
Default I know there are electric powered sailplanes but


"YouHelpBuild.com" wrote in message
...
What problems can anyone forsee to building a 100% electric ultralight
aircraft for short & mid-range commuters to get back & forth to work


You could try your question on rec.aviation.ultralights for a much better
answer. But first, please take a look around you. How many people do you know
who commute with ultralight aircraft? I can count all of the ultralight
commuters I have ever seen on the fingers of no hands. There are many good
reasons why few folks commute in small aircraft, any kind of small aircraft.

Vaughn


  #4  
Old November 16th 07, 02:56 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Wayne Paul
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Posts: 905
Default I know there are electric powered sailplanes but


"Vaughn Simon" wrote in message
...

"YouHelpBuild.com" wrote in message
...
What problems can anyone forsee to building a 100% electric ultralight
aircraft for short & mid-range commuters to get back & forth to work


You could try your question on rec.aviation.ultralights for a much
better answer. But first, please take a look around you. How many people
do you know who commute with ultralight aircraft? I can count all of the
ultralight commuters I have ever seen on the fingers of no hands. There
are many good reasons why few folks commute in small aircraft, any kind of
small aircraft.

Vaughn


rec.aviation.homebuilt might be another appropriate place for the first post
in this thread.

Wayne
HP-14 "6F"
http://www.soaridaho.com/



  #5  
Old November 16th 07, 03:17 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Mike the Strike
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Posts: 952
Default I know there are electric powered sailplanes but

To keep under the weight limit, you'll have about as much available
electrical energy as a large flashlight.

Human power would be more feasible.

Mike
  #6  
Old November 16th 07, 04:28 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
[email protected]
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Posts: 7
Default I know there are electric powered sailplanes but

On Nov 16, 6:17�am, Mike the Strike wrote:
To keep under the weight limit, you'll have about as much available
electrical energy as a large flashlight.

Human power would be more feasible.

Mike


See www.solar-flight.com
  #7  
Old November 17th 07, 02:50 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Ron Blum
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 2
Default I know there are electric powered sailplanes but

Although weight is a factor (254#), the ElectricFlyer
is doing well. Has any
one looked into an FAA ELOS (Equivalent Level of Safety)
or Exemption?
The LSA category opens up a whole new world, too.



  #8  
Old November 17th 07, 05:23 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Scott[_1_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 367
Default I know there are electric powered sailplanes but

What is the Sunseeker empty weight? Top Speed? Does it in fact meet
the requirements for an ultralight aircraft? That was the original
question (is it a legal ultralight?)...


wrote:

See
www.solar-flight.com

--
Scott
http://corbenflyer.tripod.com/
Gotta Fly or Gonna Die
Building RV-4 (Super Slow Build Version)
  #9  
Old November 17th 07, 07:01 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
gfoster07k
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 15
Default I know there are electric powered sailplanes but

On Nov 16, 12:39 am, "YouHelpBuild.com"
wrote:
How about 100% electric powered ultralights?

What problems can anyone forsee to building a 100% electric ultralight
aircraft for short & mid-range commuters to get back & forth to work
(aside from air traffic issues... it IS a big sky after all)?


While not quite on the subject, a fellow built a very light (Benson-
type) helicopter to commute to a company I use to work for. He landed
it on the corporate helipad. By the time people were through beating
him on the head for such an act, he finally was allowed to truck it
away with an escort. I'm glad he was at ground level or he would have
had to dismantle it. Personally I thought it made perfect sense. It
was a very well built machine and he was an expert pilot with about an
18 mile commute over a typically jammed freeway. The fire marshals
and the insurance companies were the main attackers, not the FAA.

Greg
  #10  
Old November 17th 07, 07:58 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Scott[_1_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 367
Default I know there are electric powered sailplanes but

Isn't a Benson a gyrocopter, not a helicopter? Gyrocopters can't hover,
they rely on airspeed to spin the rotor, correct?

Scott


gfoster07k wrote:
On Nov 16, 12:39 am, "YouHelpBuild.com"
wrote:

How about 100% electric powered ultralights?

What problems can anyone forsee to building a 100% electric ultralight
aircraft for short & mid-range commuters to get back & forth to work
(aside from air traffic issues... it IS a big sky after all)?



While not quite on the subject, a fellow built a very light (Benson-
type) helicopter to commute to a company I use to work for. He landed
it on the corporate helipad. By the time people were through beating
him on the head for such an act, he finally was allowed to truck it
away with an escort. I'm glad he was at ground level or he would have
had to dismantle it. Personally I thought it made perfect sense. It
was a very well built machine and he was an expert pilot with about an
18 mile commute over a typically jammed freeway. The fire marshals
and the insurance companies were the main attackers, not the FAA.

Greg


--
Scott
http://corbenflyer.tripod.com/
Gotta Fly or Gonna Die
Building RV-4 (Super Slow Build Version)
 




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