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What do you think about "e-soaring"?

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John.Roo

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 8, 2013
Messages
2,886
Location
Letohrad / Czech Republic
Dear friends,

In my “New Member Introduction” thread I mentioned one idea – “E-soaring as possible new competition class”. And I really would like to know your opinion.
I personally believe that in future will rise little bit special competition class. You can see that electric systems (like FES for example) installed in gliders are already powerful enough to allow TakeOff. And then you have still some capacity for return to home airfield. But you can also use a little bit of powerto “increase” glider ratio. PhoEnix for example needs about 8 kW of power for horizontal flight. Adding just 2-4 kW you will not keep horizontal flight, but you significantly decrease rate of descent = increase “glider ratio” (I am not sure if I can use term “glider ratio” with powered flight).
Of course then they come technical questions like - batteries with the same capacity for all e-gliders? Battery capacity depending somehow on Empty/Gross weight of e-glider? Bonus for capacity saved (measured after landing)? Etc.. however, this questions are just technical details.


Main possible advantages:

· Increased safety – you can use batteries and remaining capacity to go home/near airfield in case of emergency

· No tow planes

· Pilots can use different strategy how to manage the power

· At the end (maybe) cheaper – you can achieve high L/D on “normal” gliders not increasing span and making “supergliders - expensive open class prototypes”

And if we go even more to the future, one all above written is just first step. Later we can try to regen energy in thermals “windmilling” propeller and charging batteries in flight (electric motor can work like generator). This is something not possible for combustible engines :)
Then is added one more tactical decision for pilot – spent time to recharge a little bit battery or gain altitude and go forward…


Just dreaming with my morning coffee dear friends…


But what you thing about this idea?

Best regards!

Martin
 
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