Posted on 06/04/2020 9:43:01 AM PDT by Red Badger
May 29 (UPI) -- The world's largest all-electric aircraft took off from a Washington state airstrip for its first flight, staying in the air for 28 minutes, the plane's makers said.
The eCaravan plane, a modified Cessna Caravan 208B, was created by a collaboration between engine company magniX and aerospace firm AeroTEC. It took its first flight Thursday in an event that was livestreamed on Facebook.
The companies said the electric plane is more environmentally friendly and costs less to operate than its fossil fuel-powered counterparts.
"As the world's largest all-electric aircraft, this first flight is a significant milestone in disrupting the transportation industry and accelerating the electric aviation revolution," magniX said in announcing the flight, which took off from an airstrip in Moses Lake.
A smaller plane with a magniX electric engine took its first 15-minute flight in December 2019.
“What are you smoking?”
If you build a glider with huge wings, you can, pretty much, break even on collecting solar power for electric motors - so yes, 5000 miles is possible. The problem is coming up with a payload that can carry more than 2 people.
It’s virtually the same as taking one’s car, handing him a bicycle, and telling them that will get him across the country too.
Brilliant! Write up that patent ASAP!
Prop planes use JET fuel?
Learn something every day!
“If you build a glider with huge wings...”
GTFO of here. We are talking about powered aircraft, not gliders.
“GTFO of here. We are talking about powered aircraft, not gliders.”
LOL...take a look at long-range ‘electric airplanes’.
Turbine engine props do use jet fuel, just in case that was sarcasm.
Glad to be educating people here. Look up Turboprop Engine.
“As jet fuel can be easier to obtain than avgas in remote areas, turboprop-powered aircraft like the Cessna Caravan and Quest Kodiak are used as bush airplanes.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turboprop
Interesting, thanks. If the the route and what the electric plane offers mesh, then this could work out well.
These short flights around an island / peninsula area with no reasonable way to just drive seem like a particularly good use case.
Jet turbine engines using jet fuel.
The same thing powering all but the smallest helicopters.
Holdup is the mining of dilithium crystals.
Great chart thank you.
“GTFO of here. We are talking about powered aircraft, not gliders.”
Which ‘powered aircraft’ go 5000 miles on batteries other than modified GLIDERS?
And why the obscenities?
“Learn something every day!”
Now that is an HONEST NIGERIAN (or, really, an honest anyone), here! Interesting that the person claiming all these great things about electric planes has gone dark, rather than admitting to getting an ‘education’ from us.
And yes, the few Nigerians that I’ve knows are very nice and humble people - we need more of them here!
You are indeed correct about increased battery life. But regardless of the length of time a battery-powered vehicle can travel, if you run out of energy in the middle of nowhere on a dark and rainy night, a guy with a 5 gallon can of gas is not going to save your bacon. Or rather he may get you to safety but your ride stays put until it can be towed.
Bottom line, unless and until whatever replaces gasoline can duplicate and improve the all-around performance of petroleum based energies, petroleum based energy will be with us. Everything else will be merely a niche product, very expensive and used by few.
“”””””””BUT ITS GREEN ENERGY!!!!...................”””””””
Yes, because everyone knows electricity comes out of the wall so there is no pollution whatsoever. Have you ever seen a wall pollute? I don’t think so.
I’ve heard/read many instances over the decades of planes dumping fuel for emergency landings. With batteries you land with what you have. Can you imagine the fires from a load of batteries going critical in a controlled crash landing?
Don’t think the usual airport equipment/training will handle that.
Commercial jets take off with enough fuel for their flight plus a fudge factor. That way they don’t carry heavy and expensive fuel they don’t need. Can that be done with batteries?
Battery banks may be designed for one simple route but that limits the ultimate use of the aircraft. Not cost effective IMVHO.
“Notice he said all of the larger airplanes?
I dont think a Cessna is a larger airplane.”
Correct. So why is he posting about larger planes. This is about smaller planes flying shorter routes.
Yes, but can you imagine the invaluable virtue signaling? It'll earn far more VS points than anything else, even planting trees and buying "carbon offsets."
Non-stop
“What part of Large Airplanes is giving you trouble.’
What apart about dumping batteries is giving you trouble?
“and if you guys even manage to get that far, you guys will NEVER save the planet.”
Is that your Rule #4, Sal?
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