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Re: another electric airplane first flight
by Neon John
::
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On Sat, 17 May 2008 11:04:36 -0500, gary <gkrysztopik@...> wrote:
>
>>
>> Given that I can fly longer than I have the physical endurance for on 5
>> gallons of gasoline, why is my enthusiator not perking up? Looks line just
>> another media stunt/rich man's toy to me.
>>
>>
>Looks like the start of a new direction to me. I give him credit for
>doing it, we all have to start somewhere. Compare this to the first
>powered flight - the Wright brothers. Oh boy, 20' in the air for a few
>hundred feet. What good is that? Seems like a big waste of time. I'm
>sure that's what a lot of people said back then.
But then, the Wright Brothers didn't immediately market that first plane.
>
>What about noise? I bet there are more than a few people that are
>restricted because of noise - same thing with dirt bikes. We got kicked
>out of everywhere because of noise. I would've paid top dollar for an
>electric dirt bike when I had nowhere left to ride, even if it had half
>the power and was only good for 20 minutes. There was a big court case
>where people were suing an aerobatics club in MA because of noise
>pollution and probably more cases like that against ultralights.
If one leaves the muffler alone, most of the noise from a gas powered
ultralight comes from the propeller. The engine emits but a gentle hum. At
least that's the way it is with the one I occasionally fly.
Substituting an electric motor for the gas one won't change any of that. Note
that he sells (for a lot more money) a low RPM, long throw prop assembly. He
says that it's more efficient but I bet that it's also quieter, just like belt
driven, low speed props are quieter with gas engined ultralites.
>
>I see these electric planes as the first step for the first generation.
>A new direction, not a mature end product. I'm glad somebody is
>trying. Prices will come down and performance will go up. A soaring
>trike and motorglider are great places to start. I don't think he did
>it with intentions to sell anyway, that only came after many requests
>when people saw the trike.
First and foremost, though, it's gotta work. Electric RCs have gotten so
popular because they DO work, sometimes better than the gas version, and at
comparable prices. I'm developing a serious interest in RC planes, especially
after going out a few times with a friend and his electrics. My first
purchase will be electric.
It's going to be awhile before batteries get cheap enough, if they ever do, to
make an electric ultralight anywhere near competitive with gas powered ones.
And, of course just speculating now, I bet the maintenance on the electric
version will be higher than with a gas engine. I would not have chosen a
Lynch motor for that because of relatively short brush life. Then there's the
matter of having to lug the batteries back to the charging point (assuming
there isn't power at the strip.)
With the gas version, one simply turns off the fuel and runs the carb dry. If
it won't be flown for some time, drain the tank. A new set of spark plugs
every season or two. That's about it.
I'd not be very critical had this guy actually done something innovative.
Like, say, a BLDC motor and controller optimized for flying. Bolting on an
off the shelf Lynch motor and Alltrax controller along with some very
expensive batteries is NOT innovation to me. Heck, he could have scaled up
the very innovative RC plane motors and done better than this.
John
--
John De Armond
See my website for my current email address
http://www.neon-john.com
http://www.johndearmond.com <-- best little blog on the net!
Tellico Plains, Occupied TN
Vegetarian - Indian word for "poor hunter".
_______________________________________________
For subscription options, see
http://lists.sjsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/ev
>
>>
>> Given that I can fly longer than I have the physical endurance for on 5
>> gallons of gasoline, why is my enthusiator not perking up? Looks line just
>> another media stunt/rich man's toy to me.
>>
>>
>Looks like the start of a new direction to me. I give him credit for
>doing it, we all have to start somewhere. Compare this to the first
>powered flight - the Wright brothers. Oh boy, 20' in the air for a few
>hundred feet. What good is that? Seems like a big waste of time. I'm
>sure that's what a lot of people said back then.
But then, the Wright Brothers didn't immediately market that first plane.
>
>What about noise? I bet there are more than a few people that are
>restricted because of noise - same thing with dirt bikes. We got kicked
>out of everywhere because of noise. I would've paid top dollar for an
>electric dirt bike when I had nowhere left to ride, even if it had half
>the power and was only good for 20 minutes. There was a big court case
>where people were suing an aerobatics club in MA because of noise
>pollution and probably more cases like that against ultralights.
If one leaves the muffler alone, most of the noise from a gas powered
ultralight comes from the propeller. The engine emits but a gentle hum. At
least that's the way it is with the one I occasionally fly.
Substituting an electric motor for the gas one won't change any of that. Note
that he sells (for a lot more money) a low RPM, long throw prop assembly. He
says that it's more efficient but I bet that it's also quieter, just like belt
driven, low speed props are quieter with gas engined ultralites.
>
>I see these electric planes as the first step for the first generation.
>A new direction, not a mature end product. I'm glad somebody is
>trying. Prices will come down and performance will go up. A soaring
>trike and motorglider are great places to start. I don't think he did
>it with intentions to sell anyway, that only came after many requests
>when people saw the trike.
First and foremost, though, it's gotta work. Electric RCs have gotten so
popular because they DO work, sometimes better than the gas version, and at
comparable prices. I'm developing a serious interest in RC planes, especially
after going out a few times with a friend and his electrics. My first
purchase will be electric.
It's going to be awhile before batteries get cheap enough, if they ever do, to
make an electric ultralight anywhere near competitive with gas powered ones.
And, of course just speculating now, I bet the maintenance on the electric
version will be higher than with a gas engine. I would not have chosen a
Lynch motor for that because of relatively short brush life. Then there's the
matter of having to lug the batteries back to the charging point (assuming
there isn't power at the strip.)
With the gas version, one simply turns off the fuel and runs the carb dry. If
it won't be flown for some time, drain the tank. A new set of spark plugs
every season or two. That's about it.
I'd not be very critical had this guy actually done something innovative.
Like, say, a BLDC motor and controller optimized for flying. Bolting on an
off the shelf Lynch motor and Alltrax controller along with some very
expensive batteries is NOT innovation to me. Heck, he could have scaled up
the very innovative RC plane motors and done better than this.
John
--
John De Armond
See my website for my current email address
http://www.neon-john.com
http://www.johndearmond.com <-- best little blog on the net!
Tellico Plains, Occupied TN
Vegetarian - Indian word for "poor hunter".
_______________________________________________
For subscription options, see
http://lists.sjsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/ev
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