Pipstrel's "Alpha" electric airplane

[NinjaNate]

This is a great video of Pipistrels Alpha Electric Airplane.

 

Only 1 hour of range but very innovative..

 

 

 

[farri]

WOW!!!!!

 

 

[Marty_d]

Seen it before but love it. If the battery capacity could just triple for the same weight, no one would be using Rotax...

 

 

[auster]

Seen it before but love it. If the battery capacity could just triple for the same weight, no one would be using Rotax...

I flew it at the factory field in Slovenia and I think this plane is a major development. In it's current form flight training is the main role however there are many pilots who spend 90% of their flying doing local flights of less than an hour and just staying current so it's ok for that as well. The revelation, and I hadn't thought much about this before I flew it - the utter simplicity of pre-flight and maintenance.

 

 

[phonetic]

Electric motors are 90% plus efficient vs petrol internal combustion with turbocharger intercooler 40% tops, electric might just add up for aviation ??

 

 

[Marty_d]

Electric motors are 90% plus efficient vs petrol internal combustion with turbocharger intercooler 40% tops, electric might just add up for aviation ??

It WILL... when batteries get lighter or more efficient. At the moment the Alpha Electric is pretty much the peak of electric ability (for a general use 2 seater) and it has a maximum of about 1.5 hours.