Is electric propulsion worth it?

[Speedboat100]

IMHO, 120+ mph with 1.5 hr duration all packaged into a 70 kg empty weight plane usable by the average pilot is defying physics as we currently know them.

Edit add: I would be thrilled if you could prove me wrong.

I think we are closer to that day now.

Anything efficient will have a decent L/D ratio. Biplanes don't.

I think I got it now. 12.8 aspect ratio. No LG hanging in slip stream.

 

[Speedboat100]

What do you think....could a electric AC in the FAI super lite class ( under 300 kg ) do the new altitude record ?

 

[John.Roo]

What do you think....could a electric AC in the FAI super lite class ( under 300 kg ) do the new altitude record ?

What altitude you need to achieve?
And... it is in this class separated category for electric propulsion and for airplanes with combustion engines?

 

[Speedboat100]

What altitude you need to achieve?
And... it is in this class separated category for electric propulsion and for airplanes with combustion engines?

I was thinking about the famous record by australian pilot/inventor who made the Facet Opal....Scottie Winton.

It is near 10 000 meters.

FacetOpal

www.twitt.org

 

[John.Roo]

Seems to be possible.
Take light self-launch electric glider and make flight in mountain wave

 

[Speedboat100]

Seems to be possible.
Take light self-launch electric glider and make flight in mountain wave

Isn't 10 000 meters already dangerous without pressurised cockpit ?

SparrowHawk all-carbon composite sailplane

The first-ever all-carbon composite sailplane yields unprecedented maneuverability and top performance.

www.compositesworld.com

 

[John.Roo]

I was personally only in 5 300 meters so far.

In wave conditions they can go with normal (no pressurised) gliders to alt. over 10 000 m.
So pressurised cockpit is not necessary, but oxygen system definitelly yes.

 

[Speedboat100]

Best mountain climbers can go to Mt Everest without supplementary oxygen...8800 meters.

 

[patrickrio]

Brain studies on climbers who climb 8000 meter peaks without oxygen show likely temporary and possibly permanent changes to cognition. It's a pretty small sample size though.

But pretty sure you don't want to be anywhere close to that extreme.

 

[Speedboat100]

It takes lot to get used to it I assume. Also takes days.

Anyway this Facet Opal has still these records: Facet Opal – Wikipedia

 

[henryk]

flight in mountain wave

Instrukcja do fali.

Jak skutecznie polatać na fali w Beskidach. Najsłynniejsze ośrodki falowe w Polsce to od lat Jelenia Góra i Nowy Targ. Bardzo popularny stał się też czeski Jesenik ale nie gorsze do latania na fali są i Beskidy. Zazwyczaj pogoda nie sięga tak rozlegle by jednocześnie latać tu i tam, albo wieje...

www.sebastiankawa.pl

+some theory...

 

[Speedboat100]

Instrukcja do fali.

Jak skutecznie polatać na fali w Beskidach. Najsłynniejsze ośrodki falowe w Polsce to od lat Jelenia Góra i Nowy Targ. Bardzo popularny stał się też czeski Jesenik ale nie gorsze do latania na fali są i Beskidy. Zazwyczaj pogoda nie sięga tak rozlegle by jednocześnie latać tu i tam, albo wieje...

www.sebastiankawa.pl

+some theory...

Almost 23 km reached so far without an engine: Perlan Project - Wikipedia

Similar conditions as flying in Mars !!!!

That'll be day when someone flys the wave record at mt. Olympos Mons in Mars !

Aspect ratio 27 ! ( lots of intersection drag ).

Airbus Perlan Mission II soars to the highest altitude ever reached on a glider

Soaring over the snow-capped Andes yesterday 28th August 2018, the engineless Airbus Perlan Mission II flew to an incredible 65,605 feet pressure altitude (19.9km) using stratospheric mountain waves to beat the current record-breaking flight set in September 2017. The FAI is waiting for the...

www.fai.org

 

[Topaz]

Nothing anti physics involved here just excellent designing.

I have a flying model of the solar passenger plane...terrific glideratio.

Gentle hint: Please don't re-learn the previous lesson the hard way.

 

[Topaz]

Just imagine the chaos above the city during rush hour. It's bad enough on the roads where everyone is going the same direction. In the air, with everyone going direct, the risk of midairs would be so great that only computerized, automated flight control in every machine, communicating with a ground control station, could make it workable. The pilot would be a passenger, nothing more.

And that, unfortunately, is exactly what the FAA and companies building into the "air mobility" concept are working on. Complete positive control of every crewed aircraft and UAV in the control space. I very strongly suspect that we're going to see new kinds of airspace popping up in urban areas, where this sort of technology and capability is required for entry, much like a clearance and Mode C is currently required in Class B.

One has to determine whether going to the office to work on your computer is really necessary anymore. Only the workers that do non-automated hands-on stuff would need to be at the plant. Sometimes we take modern technology and apply it to outdated processes instead of updating the process itself. A solution in search of a problem, so to speak.

While not really a topic for HBA, it's going to factor into these "air mobility" plans. Their viability depends on transporting bodies around urban areas.