electric powered ultralight

[aeroschmitz]

Has anyone been tinkering with electric ultralight flight?

[Floatsflyer]

OK, I'll bight. There are many, many, many, many-did I say many- for a few years now from ready to purchase ultralight's/lsa's now to various levels of development. Just search "electric powered ultralight aircraft" and knock yourself out for the next few months learning about them. Some have been to Oshkosh.

[Byron J. Covey]

OK, I'll bight. There are many, many, many, many-did I say many- for a few years now from ready to purchase ultralight's/lsa's now to various levels of development. Just search "electric powered ultralight aircraft" and knock yourself out for the next few months learning about them. Some have been to Oshkosh.

Could you please post links to some of the electric LSA's available in the USA?

Thanks,


BJC

[crusty old aviator]

Hmmm...do I give you a nice salmon supper, or do I teach you how to fish? I teach!!!

Good fishing hole: Google.com (there are others, too)

Bring up the Google search window, type "US electric powered ultralight aircraft" into the white box and hit the "Enter" key. Snoop around the results and see what you can learn. Some sites may contain links and references to other sites, so pore over them carefully. This technology is changing at a pretty good clip, so treat the older articles as historical and focus primarily on those less than a year old. If you don't have a good grasp of things electrical, you may find the learning curve a bit steep, so the level of your passion and commitment will determine the pace at which you get there.

Go fish!

[Byron J. Covey]

Hmmm...do I give you a nice salmon supper, or do I teach you how to fish? I teach!!!

Good fishing hole: Google.com (there are others, too)

Bring up the Google search window, type "US electric powered ultralight aircraft" into the white box and hit the "Enter" key. Snoop around the results and see what you can learn. Some sites may contain links and references to other sites, so pore over them carefully. This technology is changing at a pretty good clip, so treat the older articles as historical and focus primarily on those less than a year old. If you don't have a good grasp of things electrical, you may find the learning curve a bit steep, so the level of your passion and commitment will determine the pace at which you get there.

Go fish!

COA:

Please review the question.

I asked about "electric LSA's available in the USA". I have searched, and have contacted the oft-cited manufacturers who advertise, but, in fact, do not have an electric LSA airplane available in the USA. (I do not consider a one-off experimental or prototype to be an available LSA.)

If you are better at searching the www and you (or anyone else) have a link to a dealer who has an electric LSA available in the USA, I would appreciate it if you would post it here.

Thank you.


BJC

[aeroschmitz]

Are you always this condescending? I asked if folks were actually working on a project themselves, not how to use a search window.

[Jim Heffelfinger]

http://electricmotorglider.com/

[Byron J. Covey]

Still looking for an electric LSA available in the USA, as mentioned by FF and COA above.

Thanks,


BJC

[crusty old aviator]

Dopey me!!! Electric LSA's are still illegal in the US, per this recent article from Popular Mechanics:

Even as the federal government jump-starts electric cars with $2.4 billion in research funds, electric airplanes are getting held back. In fact, current Federal Aviation Administration rules prohibit electric motors in light sport aircraft, a class of planes typically flown by less experienced pilots. The FAA decrees that LSAs be powered only by reciprocating engines, a measure intended to keep high-powered turbine engines out of the hands of novice sport pilots. This rule is now thwarting the sale of electric airplanes in the United States. "We're reluctant to introduce new technology on a less experienced pilot population," says the FAA's Steve Flanagan, who helped write the LSA rules. "We need to get some more flight experience with electric motors." That position is frustrating to Randall Fishman, an ultralight pilot who's currently developing an electric two-seat sport plane, the ElectraFlyer-X. The $65,000 kit plane is being designed to LSA specifications so it can quickly go into production if and when the FAA gives electric airplane motors the okay.

[Byron J. Covey]

Dopey me!!! Electric LSA's are still illegal in the US, per this recent article from Popular Mechanics:

Even as the federal government jump-starts electric cars with $2.4 billion in research funds, electric airplanes are getting held back. In fact, current Federal Aviation Administration rules prohibit electric motors in light sport aircraft, a class of planes typically flown by less experienced pilots. The FAA decrees that LSAs be powered only by reciprocating engines, a measure intended to keep high-powered turbine engines out of the hands of novice sport pilots. This rule is now thwarting the sale of electric airplanes in the United States. "We're reluctant to introduce new technology on a less experienced pilot population," says the FAA's Steve Flanagan, who helped write the LSA rules. "We need to get some more flight experience with electric motors." That position is frustrating to Randall Fishman, an ultralight pilot who's currently developing an electric two-seat sport plane, the ElectraFlyer-X. The $65,000 kit plane is being designed to LSA specifications so it can quickly go into production if and when the FAA gives electric airplane motors the okay.

Yup, that is a big hurdle for someone wanting to make money off of a new electric design.

I would love to see an E-AB design, either scratch build or kit, for an electric airplane.


BJC

[JoeM]

Belite is showing an electric motor in their Skydock, i'm not sure if they've flown with it yet.

http://beliteaircraft.net/skydock/

[jedi]

Yup, that is a big hurdle for someone wanting to make money off of a new electric design.

I would love to see an E-AB design, either scratch build or kit, for an electric airplane.


BJC

You can get an EAB kit from Earthstar http://www.thundergull.com/. I expect Randall Fishman would also assist with parts for an EAB electric. These would require a PPC but that should not be a big roadblock. The same for the EMG-6 from Rainbow Aviation.

That gives you three choices in addition to build what you want. Tesla motor and batteries would make a great project. Alternatively, you could move to China. They are developing electric aircraft. However, they too suffer from not having a place to fly them.

[griffin800]

Has anyone been tinkering with electric ultralight flight?

There is an electric ultralight, seems to work pretty well, even on floats:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Se7bQ16bph4

Bill H.

[jedi]

Has anyone been tinkering with electric ultralight flight?

You all are on 5 different pages.


Question was about "ultralight.

Answer yes. Many. Batteries are included empty weight. This killed the EMG 5 ultralight. EMG 6 is viable in many variations. Other projects have been mentioned. Turn key UL, No.

Morph to LSA. FAR Part 1

"Light-sport aircraft means an aircraft, other than a helicopter or powered-lift that, since its original certification, has continued to meet the following:
(1) A maximum takeoff weight of not more than—
(i) 1,320 pounds (600 kilograms) for aircraft not intended for operation on water; or
(ii) 1,430 pounds (650 kilograms) for an aircraft intended for operation on water.
(2) A maximum airspeed in level flight with maximum continuous power (VH) of not more than 120 knots CAS under standard atmospheric conditions at sea level.
(3) A maximum never-exceed speed (VNE) of not more than 120 knots CAS for a glider.
(4) A maximum stalling speed or minimum steady flight speed without the use of lift-enhancing devices (VS1) of not more than 45 knots CAS at the aircraft's maximum certificated takeoff weight and most critical center of gravity.
(5) A maximum seating capacity of no more than two persons, including the pilot.

(6) A single, reciprocating engine, if powered.

(7) A fixed or ground-adjustable propeller if a powered aircraft other than a powered glider.
(8) A fixed or feathering propeller system if a powered glider.
(9) A fixed-pitch, semi-rigid, teetering, two-blade rotor system, if a gyroplane.
(10) A nonpressurized cabin, if equipped with a cabin.
(11) Fixed landing gear, except for an aircraft intended for operation on water or a glider.
(12) Fixed or retractable landing gear, or a hull, for an aircraft intended for operation on water.
(13) Fixed or retractable landing gear for a glider. "


Now are there other questions?

If all goes well I will have a turn key production electric ultralight available for sale within about 2 months.