AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2013 - 66

PROPULSION / ELECTRIC

WHERE DO WE GO
FROM HERE?

“ ur short-term goal is to
O
sell 10 e430s and 50 eSpyders
in the American market
in 2013.”
—TIAN YU, PRESIDENT,
YUNEEC INTERNATIONAL

operations a mere 10 years ago to 50 percent today. Meanwhile, the government,
always on the hunt for more revenue, sees
easy pickings.
ELECTRICITY TO THE RESCUE

If you’re trying to eliminate avgas/diesel costs, fly without polluting, or aviate
silently, then electrical propulsion fills
the bill. Right now, general aviation’s
electric engines are still in the research
and development phase, with most of

the engines putting out between 20 and
30 horsepower. The motors are very
small and light, and have just two moving parts, making “overhauls” simple. As
with many other initiatives in the growing
Light Sport Aircraft industry, electrical
propulsion has been a creature of China
and Eastern Europe, with manufacturers
Yuneec International (Shanghai, China)
and Pipistrel (Slovenia) leading the pack.
Several lines of electrically powered and augmented aircraft have been

FLYING
ELECTRIC

Noteworthy developments
BY THOMAS A. HORNE

HERE ARE A FEW pioneering
electrically powered designs, all of
them powered by lithium polymer batteries. To date, only two are reportedly
available for purchase in the United
States: the Green Wing eSpyder and
the Green Wing e430.

GREENWING E340–Originally developed by
Yuneec International. Powered by a 54-hp
Yuneec motor, this airplane has an 84-lb battery, an empty weight of 561 lbs (which
includes the battery), and a max takeoff
weight of 946 lbs. Charge times run three to
four hours, flying endurance runs about three
hours. Price has yet to be announced.

PC AERO ELEKTRA ONE —A single-seat, retractable
German design with a 21-hp Geiger Engineering motor, a claimed cruise speed of 87 kts,
a charge time of three to four hours, and an
endurance of four hours. Battery weight is
220 lbs, empty weight is 440 lbs, and max
takeoff weight is 660 lbs. Price has been set
at $80,000.

GREEN WING eSPYDER—Based on the Flightstar
design, the eSpyder was developed by Yuneec
and is available as an Experimental category
kitplane. Powered by a Yuneec 32-hp motor, it
can cruise between 26 and 39 kts, its charge
time is 2.5 hours, and flying time is 40 to 50
minutes. Battery weight is 76 lbs, and max
takeoff weight is 550 lbs. Price $35,000.

PIPISTREL TAURUS ELECTRO—Its 50-hp retractable
motor is meant for use during takeoff and
climb. At altitude, the engine is stowed and
the airplane can fly as a sailplane. With a max
takeoff weight of 1,210 lbs, it can cruise as fast
as 160 kts. Battery weight is 24 lbs, charge
time is seven hours, and endurance eight
hours, 35 minutes. Price $89,500.

PIPISTREL G4—This four-seater won the $1.35
million 2012 NASA Green Flight Challenge
prize. With a KOKAM battery weighing 1,100
lbs, endurance is 2.45 hours and cruise speeds
range from 87 to 100 kts. It’s powered by a
200-hp Pipistrel motor and has a max takeoff
weight of 3,300 lbs. Price N/A.

66 | AOPA PILOT September 2013

ILLUSTRATION BY KYLE HILTON

business jets, and turboprops alike must
buy credits designed to offset the environmental damage their aircraft create. What
began with the development of “lowlead” avgas has already kicked off a trend
toward research in biofuels, an increased
awareness of the cleaner combustion possible with the use of modern diesel-engine
technology, and an awakening interest in
the first steps toward developing solarpowered airplanes.
Noise is another escalating environmental burr under general aviation’s
saddle. General aviation operations
in Europe—especially Germany and
Switzerland—are already hindered by
noise curfews, mandatory exhaust silencers, outright bans, and heavy fines for the
noncompliant. Talk about user fees!
Fossil-fuel curtailment pressures are
coming both from the top and bottom of
the civil aviation spectrum. Fuel jumped
from 20 percent of the cost of airline
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2013

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