Are there any Electric aircraft flying in Australia ...yet ?

[Gforce]

Hi all,

 

As part of some on going development I'm doing for my company, I would like to know if any one is flying, or knows of an electric aircraft flying ? RAA are not aware of one specifically registered as electric but admit that does not mean one is not flying.

 

Thanks in advance

 

G

 

 

[bexrbetter]

Watt a shocking subject.

 

 

[skeptic36]

[thommo]

If you find any information I would like to know

 

As well for a aircraft we are building that would suit electric power.

 

Daniel

 

 

[Gforce]

Thanks for that - I know of a few PPGs that are electric as well as some trikes as in the youtube video above - But what.... ( oh ok, Ill join in...).. but WATT about fixed wing aircraft... ?

 

 

[Gforce]

This is one of the more practical electric ultralight

 

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

I'm on the top of the list for the Lazair's electric conversion kit. Unfortunatly it is being held up due to some family problems with the designer.

 

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1412424

 

read the developement here

 

some footage i shot at airventure.

 

 

[Gforce]

Yeah I have followed Dales electric development from an early stage, did you write in to Sports pilot about your Lazairs by any change this addition ? It was in the 95:10 question area. You will have to fly in to my strip to say G`day !! Im in Rylstone airpark.

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

Another Lazair owner wrote into Sport Pilot. He found a brand new series 3 Lazair that was still in the box a couple of years ago in Mudgee. Mine is a series 1 that has had a few of the upgrades fitted over the years but is still powered by the 100cc chainsaw engines.

 

They are grumpy little things but then they are 35 years old now. The electric conversion will solve a lot of problems. They will also solve the "not allowed to turn off engine(s)" rule as when the power levers are closed the engines are not really off as the controllers are still feeding power to the engines to brake the props. Who wrote that reg? They needs a good thumping.

 

As you are from Rylstone i think you may not have to look very far to find a couple of Lazairs nearby.

 

 

[Gforce]

Agh what a find !!! Amazing. I live in the city but will be building a Hangar in Rylstone as flying in and around Sydney is not much fun. Apart from Victor 1 but after you have done that many times even that starts to get old. Will you be using Ion batterys ? Or lipos ?

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

Latest battery type is Ion. Lipos were a little unreliable and heavier and less power for the weight.

 

I moved from Sydney last year. Just had enough of the place. Still trying to find a shed to leave the Lazair setup all the time.

 

 

[Gforce]

Yes agree that Ion`s match the performance but are less volatile than Lipos. That said, I have 3000+ on them and never had any issues apart from a few dead cells and puffing a few in my pylon racers but that was a few years ago when discharge rates were around 30-35. Now I have 65c discharge rates in my latest batteries. Yes, I be using them in my Single seat electric seaplane hopefully end of this year.

 

 

[boingk]

Also a big fan of electric flight, I have a few (read: need to get rid of some!) RC electric aircraft and find the battery technology amazing... I left off RC in highschool over 10 years ago so the progress has been a bit to catch up with, that's for sure.

 

This is the beasty you'd be looking at for PPG, or in pairs for very light aircraft:

 

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__25413__Turnigy_RotoMax_150cc_Size_Brushless_Outrunner_Motor.html

 

9.8kW of power at max load and runs on 14-cell lithium-polymer batteries. Pair it with this speed control and a bunch of these batteries (about 20 of them in series for 10 x 14-cell equivalent for 30min flight time at 100A output) and you'd be set. All for about 30kg or so of weight and about $3,000. Nice!

 

As far as I'm concerned lithium polymer batteries are brilliant, just treat them with respect and don't try and push their limits - they *will* degrade if you do that and *could* short and catch fire. If you treat their 'max discharge' limit as the absolute redline (instead of the 'burst' rating) then you should be fine.

 

Cheers - boingk

 

 

[Gforce]

Gosh I would not be using that paper weight in anything other than a motorised scooter where a bearing failure would only stop me getting home from the pub ! So many bad reviews on that motor. We are using a motor that puts out 30kw of power, so about the same as a rotax 337 !

 

http://www.jobymotors.com/

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

The problem with outrunners is keeping them cool. they used a similar RC model engine and it could not handle the continuous load to haul the weight. even after rewinding them. Joby moters are inrunners and seem to run pretty near perfect. deliver around 20hp each side compared to my 5.5hp pioneers. controller reliability is now the problem but they are asking a fair bit from them. Soft start and keeping the power curve flat with prop braking when thermalling. Regenative power is also planned. plus giving readouts for moter and controller temps, output power, real time voltage and current use. power remaining warning alarms and user set up keep pushing the limits. Then you have to deal with recharging issues. Definately not a bolt on and go set up.

 

 

[Gforce]

Yes I agree with you, you sound like you have some experiences with them too - The single Seat electric Aircraft I represent in Australia has been designed from the start to be electric so no heating issues have been noted yet. But we are only in initial testing stages. Runs very smooth however.

 

 

[eightyknots]

Yes I agree with you, you sound like you have some experiences with them too - The single Seat electric Aircraft I represent in Australia has been designed from the start to be electric so no heating issues have been noted yet. But we are only in initial testing stages. Runs very smooth however.

No heating issues?? What about cabin heat in electric aircraft? (There are some really cold mornings out Mudgee way)

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

Open cockpit here.

 

If you are enclosed and now have oz runaway you could always burn your old charts.

 

 

[Gforce]

No heating issues?? What about cabin heat in electric aircraft? (There are some really cold mornings out Mudgee way)

Ha... I meant that the motor, esc and batteries are opprating well within there design limits but yes, you have a point there but then again, I dont know of any 95:10 style planes that need it. My electric aircraft ( FlyNano ) is designed to fly off water so if its not summer(ish) weather I will be flying something else. Thats the plan at least !

 

 

[Guernsey]

No heating issues?? What about cabin heat in electric aircraft? (There are some really cold mornings out Mudgee way)

Until these engines are proved to be reliable, you will probably be sweating for the entire flight anyway. .

 

Alan.

 

 

[Head in the clouds]

My electric aircraft ( FlyNano )....

Any recent news you can tell about the Flynano? It's gone awfully quiet for the last nine months or so. I'm aware of the northern winter issue but we only saw a take-off with a conspicuously absent landing (last seen heading for grassland on the edge of the lake).

 

I'm also interested about the configuration, I guess they must have their IP Applications filed by now so can you tell us anything about what they consider to be patentable? To me it would appear to be much the same as other joined wing, closed wing and box wing aircraft some of the concepts of which have been around since the 1920s, some examples pictured below.

 

Also - do you know what has been done to address the inverted stall issues that seem to plague this general design concept? It seems to be insurmountable in the Stratos and the Flynano looks very similar in layout and probable CG position.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[fly_tornado]

Evektor are getting there... can't be much longer

 

 

 

[boingk]

No idea what the reliability fears are all about - so many less moving parts and such simpler operation... I'd probably feel *safer* flying electric to be honest.

 

- boingk

 

 

[alf jessup]

No idea what the reliability fears are all about - so many less moving parts and such simpler operation... I'd probably feel *safer* flying electric to be honest.- boingk

Boingk,

 

Problem is I couldnt handle being stuck in the circut (pardon the pun) as I couldnt see them having 6 hrs endurance off batteries.

 

Alf

 

 

[Gforce]

Until these engines are proved to be reliable, you will probably be sweating for the entire flight anyway. .Alan.

Im not sure what you mean Alan ? To date, I have OVER 3000 hours of electric flying time with RC aircraft. Never had one issue ! Electric engines are very proven. Have been for over 30 years ! I would MUCH prefer to be flying an electric than an old 337...447...

 

With respect, have you ANY evidence of even 1 in flight failure of an electric engine ?? If so, it would really help with with my research so thanks if you can ? we have not been able to find even one to date...

 

Thanks for your input Alan.