Posted on 03/29/2011 10:17:49 AM PDT by smokingfrog
I believe this is what George Jetson drove to work.
Looks pretty sweet.
Effective range 30 NM just like a dolt?
Does the emergency rubber band run between the legs.
Unfortunately, by the time they get a 4 seater out, who knows what the price will be.
Three hour endurance.
Think how quiet this puppy is. Man, you can scare the #@*#@& out of geese.
I’d bet the farm this dog has a ballistic recovery system and I still wouldn’t get on board.
King sized Air Hogg.
Being electric and flying, I have to wonder why there is no “solar panel” molded into the composite structure to charge the batteries while flying. Solar Cells are light in weight and it is a VFR plane afterall. Anyway, $141K is rediculously expensive.
Not on a bet would I get on board.
Is it coin operated?
We were going to use a ceramic electric motor of 300 HP powered by 6 of the fuel cells( about 1.5 cubic feet each. It took about 15 minutes to fire up one, then fire up the rest so a minimum of 1/2 hour before flight. Efficency was about 52 to 60%. Total weight of system was the same as a IO 550 with he same HP.
So with equal fuel loads range was doubled, and no altitude penalty.
One killer problem - The fuel cells cost about $60,000 each and the capillary system in the internal ceramic would plug with the contaminants in the kerosene fairly quickly.
I think GM produced a few fuel cell powered cars in the 70’s - Oh well - maybe fusion will work someday.
Was wondering the same exact thing. Lots of surface area for cells.
You wouldn’t need $650 dollar Bose headsets.
Looking at the size of the craft, you may be able to make 300 watts in full sun.
I don’t know how big the batteries are or the power usage but during a 3 hour flight, solar cells would only add another kilowatt hour under optimum conditions.
I suppose if you ran out of juice out in the desert, you could recharge the batteries after a few days and fly out.
So that 2 hours flying time with ample landing reserved at 85 knots effective range 150 miles ...maybe 180 with tailwind..
Think glider!
It includes a hangar with solar panels. I have a friend that factory built a Glassair Sportsman and by the time he got done getting avionics he was over $200k. It’s a really nice airplane, though.
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