Electric / hybrid aircraft propulsion (NOT cars)

With how much reserve?

The similar size HK-36 can cruise @100kt with roughly 40kw (2300rpm on L2000EA). I don’t think its much more efficient, so 80kw of energy corresponds to 2h flight time with cruise power.. fine for traffic circuit and zone , and barely adequate for cross country. However,for cross country there is another problem- the typical airport stand has usually about 3kw of power, so the recharge at the destination is going to take some time..

Cobalt wrote:

With how much reserve?

For the Pipistrel Elektro 60 min + reserve

They actually have the POH online, see here.

According to that, it has

• 55 minutes “traffic pattern” + 30 minutes reserve
• a range of 65NM at 85kt (45 minutes climb + cruise); very likely with very little reserve
• 20kWh battery capacity
• 50kW engine (60kW for 1 minute)

The performance section is quite thin, but they say “recommended cruise power 20-30 kW” for a cruise speed of 85kt. So if you take a few minutes climb at 50kw, you can cruise just shy of an hour at best…

Some movement in the startup market

Secretive Joby Aviation received $100 mln backing from Toyota (Working prototype)

Another working prototype

Payload 160kg
Range 27 km at 70 km/h (ouch)
Charge time 40 min. fast charge
Aircraft parachute on board

I’m sure there is more. I like the numerous-engine concept. Should be much safer than current multi-engines.

Archie wrote:

Payload 160kg
Range 27 km at 70 km/h (ouch)
Charge time 40 min. fast charge
Aircraft parachute on board

With that kind of performance data you’re better off buying an e-bike. Much cheaper, greater range, insignificantly slower for typical city traffic situations (may be applicable to Europe only, where decent bike lanes exist)

But it’ll be a few years before city flying traffic hits gridlock.
PS How long will these stay airborne in a hold?

I trained up near you at Inverness, Maioraigh, and there were two incidents where I would not have liked to be in such an aircraft. One where the weather closed in and the instructor had to divert IMC to Aberdeen. In the other, ATC told some poor trainee to orbit before starting the base leg, and forgot about him for 40 minutes. We know they forgot, because they later directed a passenger jet through his position at which point he piped up!

Norway to make all short-haul flights electric by 2040

The currently highest power electric aviation test stand in the world, 500 kW (670 hp):

EHANG 184 AAV Manned Flight Tests