eHang Near Chinese Certification

Dean Sigler Electric Powerplants, Sky Taxis, Sustainable Aviation Leave a Comment

Last September, eHang announced their EH216 is close to certification by the Civil Aviation Authority of China (CAAC) and revealed some astounding numbers. The EH216 (two seats, 16 rotors) has over 30,000 safe flights to its credit.  An even stronger sign that eHang is headed toward commercial operations – its safety video.  You don’t need to be conversant in Mandarin or Cantonese to get it.  Preparing for customer operations is a clear sign of intent. According to eHang, a “Project Specific Certification Plan has been officially approved by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (“CAAC”).  At present, various specified review subjects have been confirmed, including performance and flight, structural strength, design and configuration, ground control station, airborne human-computer interaction, totality, …

Light Electric Aircraft at Aero Expo

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Three companies presented electric versions of their light electric aircraft at Friedrichshafen, Germany this year.  From a WWII replica to a high- and low-wing pair of Part 103-compliant craft, to a very modern trainer, the three represent increasing sophistication in light aircraft. Elektra Trainer Dr. Birgit Weissenbach shared that as the only approved electric aircraft in its class, the Elektra Trainer also gained Aero Expo’s Innovation Award 2023 from Aerokurier.  We’ve described the technical details of the airplane in a February entry about its certification, and highlighted its development through many other entries.   Dr. Wiessenbach noted,“What is particularly pleasing is that this year’s reader  award was drawn not only among electric aircraft, of which there are currently not that …

ZeroAvia Has New Airplane, New Motor

Dean Sigler Announcements, Electric Powerplants, Fuel Cells, hydrogen, Hydrogen Fuel, Sustainable Aviation Leave a Comment

ZeroAvia has taken delivery of a 76-seat Bombardier* Q400 airplane from Alaska Airlines.  The craft could become a test bed for ZeroAvia’s modular HyperCore motors and hydrogen fuel systems.  The Q400 will carry four times the number of passengers of the company’s current Dornier 228 twin-engine test aircraft – already having made five successful test flights. ZeroAvia proclaims, “The future of flight is renewable hydrogen,” and explains with a mission statement.  “From 20 seat regional trips to over 100 seat long-distance flights, ZeroAvia enables scalable, sustainable aviation by replacing conventional engines with hydrogen-electric powertrains.” Two Dorniers, one in the United Kingdom and one in Hollister, California, are undergoing test flights (five so far in the Cotswolds in England) or awaiting FAA …

Dornier DS-2C – a Hydrogen Hydroavian

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What happens when a major aircraft company buys an interesting seaplane and repowers it with hydrogen?  Dornier, a long-time German producer of often brilliant aircraft, acquired the rights to a two-seat amphibian, the Flywhale FW650, as of January 1, 2022.  Originally powered with a Rotax engine, the craft will be repowered with an electric motor and a variety of possible battery, hydrogen, or hybrid power sources. Redesignated the Dornier DS-C2, it becomes part of the Seawings division and could live not only in the world of unlimited runways, but become a true eVTOL (electric Vertical Take Off and Landing) airplane, the DS-2C-X. The standard Light Sport Aircraft configuration can carry two at 250 kilometers per hour (155 mph), over a …

Three Silicon 500 Kilowatt-hour-per-Kilogram Batteries

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Suddenly, three battery makers have announced silicon-based 500 kilowatt-hour batteries, a major leap forward for possible use in electric aircraft.  The three use varied techniques to achieve this significant energy increase. Amprius We covered Amprius’ new battery on March 28, noting its successful record-breaking flights in AALTO’s Zephyr HAPS (High Altitude Pseudo Satellite) aircraft.  This frail-looking but obviously over-achieving machine has loitered over the desert of New Mexico and beyond for over 64 days and nights, powered by a combination of sunlight and Amprius batteries. The batteries in particular just keep getting better.  That record was set with the last generation of Amprius cells, but future flights will benefit from the verified performance of their new 500 kilowatts per kilogram …

Diamond’s eDA40 and its Electric Ambitions

Dean Sigler Batteries, Diesel Powerplants, Electric Powerplants, Sustainable Aviation Leave a Comment

Austria’s Diamond Aircraft launched its eDA40 last year, headed toward becoming “The first EASA/FAA (European Aviation Safety Agency/Federal Aviation Agency) Part 23 certified electric airplane with DC fast charging. Electric Power Systems’ DC fast charging system is capable of turning around a depleted aircraft in under 20 minutes.” Austria’s Diamond Aircraft has been developing environmentally responsible aircraft for the last several decades, starting with the hydrogen fuel cell-powered HK-36 in 2008.  Diamond promoted its work with Boeing Phantom Works as emitting nothing more than waste heat and water vapor, demonstrating “technology that may result in cleaner APU’s (auxiliary Power Units) for commercial aircraft of the future.” Diamond went beyond that over the next decade, using the HK-36 as a testbed …

A Documentary about an Historic Electric Flight

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Saturday, April 22, from 2:00 PDT to 3:00 PDT, you will be able to view the world premier of a documentary by Remy Oktay about his  historic electric flight in a Pipistrel in 2022.  This would involve a flyover at his alma mater’s homecoming football game, giving his classmates an opportunity to see an electric airplane in action for the first time. The film will be shown at an event in San Francisco, but if you’re not in the neighborhood, you can register here to see it on line.  The event’s announcement should help you find the venue. ​”If this event has reached capacity or you would like to attend virtually, please register for the livestream here – https://lu.ma/7c8o06u9 ​”Silent Skies follows …

Cavorite X5’s Test Flights

Dean Sigler Electric Powerplants, Hybrid Aircraft, Sky Taxis, Sustainable Aviation Leave a Comment

The Cavorite X5, now in developmental test flights, that came from the inspiration of H. G. Wells.  Cavorite was the mysterious metal in Wells’ First Men in the Moon, discovered by Dr. Cavor.  He explains it to his friends, who are attempting to reach the earthly satellite: “Well, so soon as it reached a temperature of 60 Fahr[enheit], and the process of its manufacture was complete, the air above it, the portions of roof and ceiling and floor above it ceased to have weight. I suppose you know – everybody knows nowadays – that, as a usual thing, the air has weight, that it presses on everything at the surface of the earth, presses in all directions, with a pressure …

Heart Aerospace, BAE Collaborate on Batteries

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Heart Aerospace, a Swedish startup, has teamed with BAE Systems, a veteran British aerospace supplier, to help with powering its 30-seat, battery-powered airliner.  The four-motor craft will include a very large battery pack under the passenger compartment.  The need for safety should be obvious. Adding eleven seats to its original 19-seat platform, Heart also brings a turbo generator on board, enabling flights up to 400 kilometers (250 miles) with 30 passengers, or even 800 kilometers (500 miles) with 25.  These figures include normal airline range reserves. Partners include BAE Systems, Swedish aerospace group Saab, avionics supplier Garmin, and Aernnova, a Spanish airframe specialist. BAE’s UK-based group’s Controls and Avionics Solutions operation in upstate New York will oversee the batteries and …

China Flies RX4HE, a Hydrogen-Powered Four Seater

Dean Sigler Announcements, hydrogen, Hydrogen Fuel, Sustainable Aviation Leave a Comment

China has flown its first hydrogen-powered four-seat aircraft, the Liaoning Ruixiang RX4HE, on March 25.  The airplane is somewhat unique in having an internal combustion engine (ICE) that runs on the liquid hydrogen used as fuel.  Developed with the FAW (First Automobile Works), the engine displaces two liters and runs on the 4.5 kilograms (9.9 pounds) of highly-pressurized H2 carried on board. This enables one hour endurance at a cruising speed of 180 kilometers per hour (112 mph).  FAW claims 43-percent efficiency for the powertrain and an overall thermal efficiency “greater than 40 percent.”  (The video shows the RX4E, no videos of the HE model yet available.) According to Wikipedia, “China FAW Group Corp., Ltd. is a Chinese state-owned automobile …