Posted on 09/28/2022 1:00:50 PM PDT by Red Badger
A historic moment for zero-emissions flight, as the 9-seat Alice commuter plane makes its first test flightEviation
After showing off with some extravagant runway wheelies last week, Alice, the "world's first all-electric commuter aircraft," lifted off overnight on a historic first flight. It's another major milestone toward zero-emissions medium-range air travel.
Alice took off at 7.10 am local time from Grant County International Airport in Washington state, and made a short, 8-minute circuit, reaching an altitude of 3,500 ft (1,067 m) before coming in and touching down.
"Today we embark on the next era of aviation – we have successfully electrified the skies with the unforgettable first flight of Alice," said Eviation President and CEO Gregory Davis. "People now know what affordable, clean and sustainable aviation looks and sounds like for the first time in a fixed-wing, all-electric aircraft. This ground-breaking milestone will lead innovation in sustainable air travel, and shape both passenger and cargo travel in the future."
Eviation is targeting 2026 for FAA certification and entry into service Eviation is targeting 2026 for FAA certification and entry into serviceEviation It is indeed a significant moment, although there's a way to go yet. The Alice we see flying in the video below is still an experimentally registered prototype, rather than a fully certified production aircraft. Eviation still has to run it through a full and rigorous flight test regime, and jump through the many hoops of FAA certification, not just for the aircraft and all its systems, but also for the company itself as a design organization and a production facility. The company hopes to have this all squared away and get Alice into service by 2026.
(Excerpt) Read more at newatlas.com ...
I took my instrument written in 1978. I passed it. No dementia yet?
Zero emmisions is a lie
Keep me posted 👍
Lol!
Hey tex
Wouldnt be an ev thread without you
Just fly behind a tanker with a generator in the back.
Love it. Lord he’s such a dope.
If Chlamydia gets a ride, it’ll be wheels up fo Heels Up.
Boy, talk about “managing your energy”...I have an e-bike which is a lot of fun to ride, but...if you don’t keep an eye on your battery...like I did the third time I rode it and went 30 miles, I ran out of juice five miles from my house.
Five miles isn’t a big deal on a regular bike, but...this bike weighs sixty pounds and pedaling with no battery is not something you want to do unless you are really trying to work out your legs!
In a plane...
Lol
Crash and burn music
Its a glider.
Built by humans? Emissions.
Nice looking airplane!
Too bad it doesn’t have REAL engines, a good useful load, decent range, etc. etc.
Until a lightweight generator is developed to power these air vehicles, I do not believe electric airplanes will ever be anything more than a passing fad/novelty!
A rubber band will provide an additional 30 seconds. Go for it
“…sustainable…”
They create a bullshit term then use it to justify anything they want.
If the plane hasa “range” of (about) 280 miles at 280 knots, doesn’t a 45 minute “IFR wait time” take almost their entire flight time? No alternative airport either.
To be fair, the Eviation website said that the 250 nm range was taking into account a 30 minute VFR reserve.
Ok, fine, but lets stop calling electric transportation zero emissions or carbon free. THE ELECTRICITY USED TO CHARGE THE BATTERIES COMES FROM FOSSIL FUELS!
I think it is a nice looking plane. If someone is using it to go on 100-150 mile hops, that’s great. Love it.
Given what I know now about the variability of battery output, I wouldn’t feel comfortable going beyond 150 nm in a plane with a 250 nm range.
Of course, and hope the batteries don’t let out the “magic smoke” during the flight!
Yes. That was kinda my point until the well intended FR zealots got set off. So I leave it be.
I’ve never met a holding pattern I enjoyed. I guess this bird declares an emergency at takeoff.
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