Electric flying

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ROB. THOMASSON
Posts: 129
Joined: Mon May 14, 2012 5:36 pm

Electric flying

Post by ROB. THOMASSON » Sun Feb 20, 2022 2:40 pm

I was wondering if there are any good sides to electric flight. Naff all endurance, if the charge point you go to at one of only 8 places is in use or tech you are stuffed. And the cost is £260 an hour rather than the £140 on a 152 locally.
The claimed noise reduction doesn't bare scrutiny as you'll spend more time on the circuit as you can't go anywhere! It brings a new definition to the term range anxiety ;-)
Do feel free to comment guys.
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Gerry Holland
Posts: 149
Joined: Wed Jan 02, 2008 11:00 am
Location: White Ox Mead, Bath, Somerset

Re: Electric flying

Post by Gerry Holland » Mon Feb 21, 2022 8:40 am

Rob
I tend to agree on your comments.
Range is limited for sure and to increase it larger Battery fitment is needed and you lose carrying capacity. Noise is subjective. I'm not sure how much quieter is but for sure you will hear the propellor. It's only mitigation is that its a different noise.
Installation costs are high and although the claim of cheap recharging is well known, that too has moved on as energy prices race up. I struggle with 'Carbon Footprint' claims.
There are some safety issues too on Battery management and care.
As weight and performance are not so radically ahead of Internal Combustion I think another solution, whatever it will be is the way forward in future.
The root cause of Mother Earth overheating is too many people, living too long and wanting multiple cars per Family. The local record in our Somerset village is 7 cars for a family of six!
I guess the vociferous Liberals will be burning down my Hangar very soon despite adding to Global warming!
I suffer from Energy 'Humbug'.
Regards
Gerry
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mcfadyeanda
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Joined: Sun Jul 06, 2008 10:23 am

Re: Electric flying

Post by mcfadyeanda » Sun Feb 27, 2022 11:24 am

I think I'd like an in-flight battery fire slightly less than an in-flight fuel (petrol) fire!

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ROB. THOMASSON
Posts: 129
Joined: Mon May 14, 2012 5:36 pm

Re: Electric flying

Post by ROB. THOMASSON » Sun Mar 13, 2022 8:09 am

Good point on the in flight fire. An extinguisher can often cope with a normal fire but a battery runaway is another thing. There was a transport ship sunk recently that was moving new cars. One had a runaway and the entire vessel was lost. Model aircraft have also brewed up with battery but I've never heard of a glow or petrol model going up in flames.
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