The Swiss Smartflyer SF-1 is an advanced design showing links to the second-place finisher in the 2011 Green Flight Challenge.
Launching an Airplane and an Event
The creators of the Smartflyer were intent on developing a different kind of aircraft when they started in 2015. Their hybrid aircraft had three different modes of power from the beginning: pure electric power from batteries, hydrogen fuel cells, and a Rotax engine driving a generator that powers the motor’s batteries.
They’ve retained those three configurations to this day, obviously modifying or upgrading them as technology changed. That’s part of the beauty of electric aircraft. Motors, components and batteries keep improving, and are easy to add or change.
In pure electric version, batteries fill nose, promise 2.5 hours of flight.
The overall design is close to that of the original, with three replaceable power sources available for the long nose and a high-mounted propeller on the vertical tail. That “look” came from Dipl-Ing. Rudolf Voit-Nitschmann of the University of Stuttgart, one of the progenitors. He explained to this blogger in 2011 at the NASA Green Flight Challenge Sponsored by Google, that the position enables low drag, with wake from the prop washing over only the very top of the tail. Applied to the e-Genius, it helped the two-seat craft come in a close second to the four-seat Pipistrel, which cleverly took advantage of the passenger-mile-per-gallon equivalent rule. Both aircraft were masterful examples of purposeful design.
Start of Smartflyer challenge 2017
In 2017, Rolf Stuber and the other creators of the SmartFlyer SF-1 staged the first of their annual fly-ins, the SmartFlyer Challenge. Even e-Genius showed up to demonstrate the performance of the overall concept. Renamed as the Electrifly-in, the event moved to a larger venue in Berne, Switzerland in 2021.
The Rotax in the Nose
One variant of the three noses on the craft contains a Rotax 914UL|F 115-horsepower engine turning a lightweight generator, and will probably be first out of the Smartflyer gate, already being shown at the annual Electrifly-in in Berne, Switzerland. Equipped with a turbocharger and automatic wastegate control, the powerplant should be ideal for touring the high mountain areas.
Where Are We Today?
Appearance and promised performance are close to those from 2017, with numbers indicating great performance for low and n0-emission flight. Cruising at 120 knots (222 kilometers per hour or 138 mph) the little Rotax will provide 400 nautical miles or 750 kilometers of range or four hours endurance. The clean design enables excellent performance for the 1,400 kilogram (3,086 pounds) on only 160 kilowatts (214 horsepower).
A Promising Future
In their press release, Perth/Australia-based FlyOnE announced that it had signed a letter of intent to purchase 30 Smartflyer SF1 electric aircraft built in Switzerland. “We are delighted to be partnering with FlyOnE, a company that shares our vision of a more sustainable aviation industry,” said Rolf Stuber, CEO of Smartflyer. FlyOnE CEO Korum Ellis said the SF1 was a good electric option for Australian operators. “The Smartflyer aircraft is uniquely suited to serve Australia’s geographical aviation challenges while providing the most environmentally friendly energy sources for our sustainable future,” he said. Ellis expects the 30 Smartflyer SF1s to be used for both commercial and private flights.FlyOnE has established distribution for several electric and hybrid electric aircraft, including the Pipistrel range, Bye Aerospace E2 and Air ONE eVTOL. As has also been announced, the roll-out of the four-seater will soon take place at Grenchen Airport.
The video shows part of what the firm currently offers. Joshua Portlock will probably be involved with providing charging equipment and facilities.
Proudly Swiss
Perhaps more than any other country, Switzerland prides itself on its national identity. One such example for SmartFlyer is its partnering with a Swiss rapid prototyping firm. The results look Swiss made.
Rolf Stuber and his compatriots have crafted a unique and versatile addition to General Aviation that presages other efforts. One doesn’t see this group getting any less creative or ambitious.