An Understandable Passion

IPSA, the Institut Polytechnique des Sciences Advancees, headquartered in Paris and Toulouse, France, has a “Green” program associated with its aeronautical engineering program. Its students have designed Buselec 2, a 14.6 meter (47 feet) span, two-seater, electric-powered airplane, which will be constructed with assistance from Daniel Dalby, the originator of the Pouchelec, an electric-powered outgrowth of the Mignet tandem-wing ultralight, and Bela Nogrady, director of the Protoplane company. (More about both of these gentlemen and their creations in near-future posts.)

Motor choices have not been made at this point, but Michael Dalby, head of the Mecadalby company, explains that, “One of our partners is working on a [brushless motor] especially planned for aviation.” This motor will produce at least 20 kiloWatts (27 horsepower) continuously, and 50 kilograms (110 pounds) of 120 Watt hours per kilogram, lithium-polymer batteries will allow 30 minutes of flight, and a height gain of 1,000 meters (about 3,200 feet). Charles Donnefort, the President of IPSA Green, explains that near-term batteries with an energy density of 200 Watt hours per kilogram will enable Buselec 2 to fly for an hour. Batteries account for half the 30,000 Euro (about 42,500 dollars) budget for the project.

The airframe and powerplant system shows considerable ingenuity, with the use of a carbon fiber propeller that spins, with the motor, around the tail boom, carbon fiber longerons, and a very light overall structure.

Buselec 2, with motor and propeller rotating around tail boom

IPSA’s aeronautical wing claims to fire “La Passion Pour L’Aeronautique et la Spatial,” and according to Donnefort, “This association gathers impassioned pupils of ecology and new technologies around the project to conceive, build and test Buselec 2.” We can readily share the passion this school inspires and look forward to a successful outcome.