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To: Red Badger

Sounds good/interesting power to engine weight wise...my Q’s would be how many batteries needed for say a 5 hour flight at 80% power and the total weight of those batteries compared with the weight of enough avgas for the same 5 hour flight in say an aircraft fitted with a Continental “IO-360” (similar horsepower).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_IO-360


5 posted on 05/06/2026 8:03:54 PM PDT by Drago (.)
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To: Drago

I wonder if it’s quiet................


6 posted on 05/06/2026 8:04:53 PM PDT by Red Badger (Iryna Zarutska, May 22, 2002 Kyiv, Ukraine – August 22, 2025 Charlotte, North Carolina Say her name)
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To: Drago

I guess a proper comparison would be the weight of a piston engine plus the weight of the fuel to make a five-hour flight, compared to the weight of the electric engine plus the weight of the batteries needed to make the same flight.

I have a feeling the comparison wouldn’t work out that favorably, at least today. In five or ten years, another story probably.


8 posted on 05/06/2026 8:12:10 PM PDT by Steely Tom ([Voter Fraud] == [Civil War])
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To: Drago

Exactly right. Power plant weight + energy storage weight is the important number.

For ICE, energy storage is fuel weight plus fuel system.
For EV, energy storage is batteries, wiring, and power electronics.

Focusing on power plant weight is deceptive. Also, hours of operating time for that weight.


11 posted on 05/06/2026 8:28:31 PM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom
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