How Beat The High Cost Of Fuel: The ElectraFlyer-C

How Beat The High Cost Of Fuel

Randall Fishman, president of Electric Aircraft Corp., flew his
ultralight trike at EAA Airventure 2007, Oshkosh. "I flew the trike
in front of the crowds, and the trike was mobbed with people every
day. The EAA folks really loved the idea." The ElectraFlyer won the
Grand Champion Ultralight and Innovation awards.

This year Fishman hopes to fly his new ElectraFlyer-C (a re-engined
Moni motorglider with an 18-horsepower electric motor) at EAA
Airventure 2008. The ElectraFlyer-C cruises at 70 mph, stalls at 45
mph, and has a top speed of 90 mph and a flight duration of ~1-1/2
hours. The electric motor directly drives a 45-inch ground
adjustable, two-blade PowerFin carbon fiber propeller, which lifts the
aircraft at a climb rate of 500 to 600 fpm. The experimental
amateur-built airplane is currently in its required 40-hour flight
testing phase.
http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinqu...cmndfin d.y=5

The motor is powered by a 78 pound, custom-built lithium-ion polymer
battery with a power output of "5.6 kilowatt hours"; projected life is
300 to 500 full discharge cycles or more than 1,000 partial cycles.
The battery can be recharged in as little as two hours using a
220-volt charger (or six hours with a 110-volt charger). The cost for
a full recharge is 70 cents with the 110-volt charger. Fishman says
it's feasible to carry a small 110-volt charger as baggage on
cross-country flights.

More information:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/2722498...56704/sizes/o/

http://www.electraflyer.com/electraflyerc.html

http://www.flickr.com/photos/2722498...7605355156982/

Video: http://www.electraflyer.com/news.html


http://www.aero-news.net/news/sport....e-f146a285a148