World’s largest all-electric aircraft set for first flight - Cessna Caravan would be the largest electric aircraft.jpg

[Miloch]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/27/worlds-largest-all-electric-aircraft-set-for-first-flight

The world’s largest all-electric aircraft is about to take to the skies for the
first time.

The Cessna Caravan, retrofitted with an electric engine, is expected to fly for
20-30 minutes over Washington state in the US on Thursday.

The plane can carry nine passengers but a test pilot will undertake the
inaugural flight alone, cruising at a speed of 114mph (183km/h). The engine
maker, magniX, hopes the aircraft could enter commercial service by the end of
2021 and have a range of 100 miles.

Before the coronavirus pandemic, aviation was one of the fastest growing sources
of the carbon emissions that are driving the climate emergency. Scores of
companies are working on electric planes, although major breakthroughs in
reducing the weight of batteries will be needed before large planes can fly
significant distances on electric power alone. Other power sources being tested
include hydrogen fuel cells and biofuels.

The aviation industry is heavily regulated to ensure safety but magniX hopes
that by retrofitting an existing plane the certification process can be
accelerated. A smaller seaplane powered by a magniX engine completed a short
flight in December.

In June 2019, another company, Ampaire, flew an aircraft powered by a hybrid
electric-fossil fuel engine over California. Analysts at the investment bank UBS
said at the time that the aviation industry would move towards hybrid and
electric engines for routes less than 1,000 miles long much more quickly than
many thought.

Roei Ganzarski, the CEO of magniX, said current aeroplanes were both expensive
to operate and very polluting. “Electric airplanes will be 40%-70% lower cost to
operate per flight hour,” he said. “That means operators will be able to fly
more planes into smaller airports, meaning a shorter and door-to-door
experience, with no harmful CO2 emissions.”

Ganzarski said the company believed all flights of less than 1,000 miles would
be completely electric in 15 years’ time. But he said: “Battery [energy] density
is not where we would like to see it. While it is good for ultra-short flights
of 100 miles on a retrofit aircraft and over 500 miles on a new design aircraft
like the Alice, there is plenty of untapped potential in batteries. Now that the
first commercial aircraft has flown all-electric, battery companies are starting
to work more diligently on aerospace-ready battery solutions.”

Among the other companies developing electric aircraft are Zunum Aero, which is
building a 27-seat plane with a 680-mile range, and the engine maker
Rolls-Royce, whose Accel programme aims to produce the fastest all-electric
plane to date. However, in April, Rolls-Royce and Airbus cancelled their plans
for a hybrid electric aircraft. The German company Lilium is working on a
five-seater jet-powered electric air taxi.

The Cessna Caravan being used by magniX is one of the world’s most used
medium-range planes, with more than 2,600 operating in 100 countries. The first
flight is set for 8am Pacific time (1500 GMT) on Thursday, weather permitting.




*

[Mitchell Holman[_9_]]

Miloch > wrote in
:

>


Quite an improvement from 20 years ago.......

[Mitchell Holman[_9_]]

Miloch > wrote in
:

> https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/27/worlds-largest-all-electr
> ic-aircraft-set-for-first-flight
>
> The world’s largest all-electric aircraft is about to take to the
> skies for the first time.
>
> The Cessna Caravan, retrofitted with an electric engine, is expected
> to fly for 20-30 minutes over Washington state in the US on Thursday.
>
> The plane can carry nine passengers but a test pilot will undertake
> the inaugural flight alone, cruising at a speed of 114mph (183km/h).
> The engine maker, magniX, hopes the aircraft could enter commercial
> service by the end of 2021 and have a range of 100 miles.
>
> Before the coronavirus pandemic, aviation was one of the fastest
> growing sources of the carbon emissions that are driving the climate
> emergency. Scores of companies are working on electric planes,
> although major breakthroughs in reducing the weight of batteries will
> be needed before large planes can fly significant distances on
> electric power alone. Other power sources being tested include
> hydrogen fuel cells and biofuels.
>
> The aviation industry is heavily regulated to ensure safety but magniX
> hopes that by retrofitting an existing plane the certification process
> can be accelerated. A smaller seaplane powered by a magniX engine
> completed a short flight in December.
>
> In June 2019, another company, Ampaire, flew an aircraft powered by a
> hybrid electric-fossil fuel engine over California. Analysts at the
> investment bank UBS said at the time that the aviation industry would
> move towards hybrid and electric engines for routes less than 1,000
> miles long much more quickly than many thought.
>
> Roei Ganzarski, the CEO of magniX, said current aeroplanes were both
> expensive to operate and very polluting. “Electric airplanes will be
> 40%-70% lower cost to operate per flight hour,” he said. “That means
> operators will be able to fly more planes into smaller airports,
> meaning a shorter and door-to-door experience, with no harmful CO2
> emissions.”
>
> Ganzarski said the company believed all flights of less than 1,000
> miles would be completely electric in 15 years’ time. But he said:
> “Battery [energy] density is not where we would like to see it. While
> it is good for ultra-short flights of 100 miles on a retrofit aircraft
> and over 500 miles on a new design aircraft like the Alice, there is
> plenty of untapped potential in batteries. Now that the first
> commercial aircraft has flown all-electric, battery companies are
> starting to work more diligently on aerospace-ready battery
> solutions.”
>
> Among the other companies developing electric aircraft are Zunum Aero,
> which is building a 27-seat plane with a 680-mile range, and the
> engine maker Rolls-Royce, whose Accel programme aims to produce the
> fastest all-electric plane to date. However, in April, Rolls-Royce and
> Airbus cancelled their plans for a hybrid electric aircraft. The
> German company Lilium is working on a five-seater jet-powered electric
> air taxi.
>
> The Cessna Caravan being used by magniX is one of the world’s most
> used medium-range planes, with more than 2,600 operating in 100
> countries. The first flight is set for 8am Pacific time (1500 GMT) on
> Thursday, weather permitting.
>
>


The quiet of electric motors must make
flying behind one very awesome. For a veteran
pilot it would take some getting used to.

Harley is talking about adding a noice
maker to it's electric motorcycles because
they are so quiet they are a safety hazard.
People can't hardly see bikes as it is.......

[Miloch]

In article >, Mitchell Holman
says...
>
>Miloch > wrote in
:
>
>> https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/27/worlds-largest-all-electr
>> ic-aircraft-set-for-first-flight
>>
>>
>> The Cessna Caravan being used by magniX is one of the world’s most
>> used medium-range planes, with more than 2,600 operating in 100
>> countries. The first flight is set for 8am Pacific time (1500 GMT) on
>> Thursday, weather permitting.
>>
>>
>
>
> The quiet of electric motors must make
>flying behind one very awesome. For a veteran
>pilot it would take some getting used to.
>
> Harley is talking about adding a noice
>maker to it's electric motorcycles because
>they are so quiet they are a safety hazard.
>People can't hardly see bikes as it is.......
>
>

That's actually a bigger problem than most people think...


*

[Miloch]

In article >, Mitchell Holman
says...
>
>Miloch > wrote in
:
>
>> https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/27/worlds-largest-all-electr
>> ic-aircraft-set-for-first-flight
>>
>> The world’s largest all-electric aircraft is about to take to the
>> skies for the first time.
>>
>
> The quiet of electric motors must make
>flying behind one very awesome. For a veteran
>pilot it would take some getting used to.
>
> Harley is talking about adding a noice
>maker to it's electric motorcycles because
>they are so quiet they are a safety hazard.
>People can't hardly see bikes as it is.......
>

Here's an interesting read on the subject...worth a look

Show Us What You'd Put This 107-HP Electric Crate Motor In

https://jalopnik.com/show-us-what-youd-put-this-107hp-electric-crate-motor-i-1843713711



*

[Bob (not my real pseudonym)[_2_]]

On Wed, 27 May 2020 20:43:56 -0500, Mitchell Holman
> wrote:

>Miloch > wrote in
:
>
>> https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/27/worlds-largest-all-electr
>> ic-aircraft-set-for-first-flight
>>
>> The world’s largest all-electric aircraft is about to take to the
>> skies for the first time.
>>
>> The Cessna Caravan, retrofitted with an electric engine, is expected
>> to fly for 20-30 minutes over Washington state in the US on Thursday.
>>
>> The plane can carry nine passengers but a test pilot will undertake
>> the inaugural flight alone, cruising at a speed of 114mph (183km/h).
>> The engine maker, magniX, hopes the aircraft could enter commercial
>> service by the end of 2021 and have a range of 100 miles.
>>
>> Before the coronavirus pandemic, aviation was one of the fastest
>> growing sources of the carbon emissions that are driving the climate
>> emergency. Scores of companies are working on electric planes,
>> although major breakthroughs in reducing the weight of batteries will
>> be needed before large planes can fly significant distances on
>> electric power alone. Other power sources being tested include
>> hydrogen fuel cells and biofuels.
>>
>> The aviation industry is heavily regulated to ensure safety but magniX
>> hopes that by retrofitting an existing plane the certification process
>> can be accelerated. A smaller seaplane powered by a magniX engine
>> completed a short flight in December.
>>
>> In June 2019, another company, Ampaire, flew an aircraft powered by a
>> hybrid electric-fossil fuel engine over California. Analysts at the
>> investment bank UBS said at the time that the aviation industry would
>> move towards hybrid and electric engines for routes less than 1,000
>> miles long much more quickly than many thought.
>>
>> Roei Ganzarski, the CEO of magniX, said current aeroplanes were both
>> expensive to operate and very polluting. “Electric airplanes will be
>> 40%-70% lower cost to operate per flight hour,” he said. “That means
>> operators will be able to fly more planes into smaller airports,
>> meaning a shorter and door-to-door experience, with no harmful CO2
>> emissions.”
>>
>> Ganzarski said the company believed all flights of less than 1,000
>> miles would be completely electric in 15 years’ time. But he said:
>> “Battery [energy] density is not where we would like to see it. While
>> it is good for ultra-short flights of 100 miles on a retrofit aircraft
>> and over 500 miles on a new design aircraft like the Alice, there is
>> plenty of untapped potential in batteries. Now that the first
>> commercial aircraft has flown all-electric, battery companies are
>> starting to work more diligently on aerospace-ready battery
>> solutions.”
>>
>> Among the other companies developing electric aircraft are Zunum Aero,
>> which is building a 27-seat plane with a 680-mile range, and the
>> engine maker Rolls-Royce, whose Accel programme aims to produce the
>> fastest all-electric plane to date. However, in April, Rolls-Royce and
>> Airbus cancelled their plans for a hybrid electric aircraft. The
>> German company Lilium is working on a five-seater jet-powered electric
>> air taxi.
>>
>> The Cessna Caravan being used by magniX is one of the world’s most
>> used medium-range planes, with more than 2,600 operating in 100
>> countries. The first flight is set for 8am Pacific time (1500 GMT) on
>> Thursday, weather permitting.
>>
>>
>
>
> The quiet of electric motors must make
>flying behind one very awesome. For a veteran
>pilot it would take some getting used to.
>
> Harley is talking about adding a noice
>maker to it's electric motorcycles because
>they are so quiet they are a safety hazard.
>People can't hardly see bikes as it is.......

Playing cards in the spokes.

[Bob (not my real pseudonym)[_2_]]

On 27 May 2020 20:06:20 -0700, Miloch >
wrote:

>In article >, Mitchell Holman
>says...
>>
>>Miloch > wrote in
:
>>
>>> https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/27/worlds-largest-all-electr
>>> ic-aircraft-set-for-first-flight
>>>
>>>
>>> The Cessna Caravan being used by magniX is one of the world’s most
>>> used medium-range planes, with more than 2,600 operating in 100
>>> countries. The first flight is set for 8am Pacific time (1500 GMT) on
>>> Thursday, weather permitting.
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>> The quiet of electric motors must make
>>flying behind one very awesome. For a veteran
>>pilot it would take some getting used to.
>>
>> Harley is talking about adding a noice
>>maker to it's electric motorcycles because
>>they are so quiet they are a safety hazard.
>>People can't hardly see bikes as it is.......
>>
>>
>
>That's actually a bigger problem than most people think...

Bicycles are even worse, especially the way some folks ride them -
smaller, quieter, and us optically-challenged-as-a-bat folks don't
always see them blasting through crosswalks at red lights.

Had a friend that drove the old Metro electric trollies in Seattle;
showed me the drivers' manual with the cartoon of a bus sneaking up on
tennis shoes. Newer trollies have a noise maker built in.

[Mitchell Holman[_9_]]

DAN > wrote in
:

> Mitchell Holman wrote:
>
>> The quiet of electric motors must make
>>flying behind one very awesome. For a veteran
>>pilot it would take some getting used to.
>>
>> Harley is talking about adding a noice
>>maker to it's electric motorcycles because
>>they are so quiet they are a safety hazard.
>
> Actually in some countries, they are mandating that electric cars
> generate a certain level of noise, because pedestrians keep running
> under them. A problem with Teslas in cities in Europe.
>
>

As Tesla owner I enjoy the quiet. So far
no problem with pedestrians not noticing me,
but this is Texas where no one walks anyway.

[Byker]

> The quiet of electric motors must make
>flying behind one very awesome. For a veteran
>pilot it would take some getting used to.
>
> Harley is talking about adding a noice
>maker to it's electric motorcycles because
>they are so quiet they are a safety hazard.

What did they have in mind? A playing card on a clothespin to flutter
through the spokes?

>People can't hardly see bikes as it is.......
>
> That's actually a bigger problem than most people think.

That's why most states have headlight-on-in-the-daytime laws...

[Byker]

"Bob (not my real pseudonym)" wrote in message
...
>
> Newer trollies have a noise maker built in.

Which people will get so used to hearing that they'll ignore them. Ever been
to a construction site where backup-warning horns are constantly going off?
Before long nobody is paying them any attention...

[Bob (not my real pseudonym)[_2_]]

On Thu, 28 May 2020 16:29:20 -0500, "Byker" > wrote:

>"Bob (not my real pseudonym)" wrote in message
...
>>
>> Newer trollies have a noise maker built in.
>
>Which people will get so used to hearing that they'll ignore them. Ever been
>to a construction site where backup-warning horns are constantly going off?
>Before long nobody is paying them any attention...

Sadly, too often a self-correcting problem...

Might be why our light rail trains have the most annoying, really bad
recording of bells played through huge, crappy speakers. Impossible
to ignore.