George Bye, CEO of Bye Energy and head of the Green Flight Project, hopes to test fly the electric Cessna 172 in the spring of 2011. Recent illustrations show the “full-dress” electric craft with Ascent solar cells, a high-tech propeller, streamlined cowling, and vortex collectors at the wing tips’ trailing edges. Each element is intended to extend the range and efficiency of the airplane, a strong selling point, particularly in electrically-powered machines. Ascent Solar’s thin-film cells are thinner than a human hair, and thus will not impede the airflow over the wing’s surface. As the cells’ efficiency grows with development, they will provide greater flexibility of operation. Their resistance to failure, demonstrated in the video, will enhance the reliability of the overall airplane. George Bye has noted an economy of operation that might relight some aviation enthusiasts’ desire to go flying. Standard 172s cost about $35 to $50 per hour in direct operating costs, with those costs climbing as oil …
Solar Cells Can Never Be Too Thin
AirVenture’s unofficial prize for the most popular aircraft at each year’s fly in – the brown grass award, named for the trampled turf around the much-thronged craft, had a CAFE Foundation equivalent at this year’s Electric Aircraft Symposium. That would be the crumpled carpet prize for the circles around Dr. Joseph (Joe) Armstrong, Chief Technical Officer for Ascent Solar, a Thornton, Colorado-based firm. Wearing a bandolier-like ribbon of extremely thin, flexible solar cells at the end of his talk, he was surrounded by break-takers eager to get a closer look at his impressive array of photovoltaics. Commercial production modules of the copper indium gallium (di)selenide (CIGS) cells have been verified at an industry-high10.5-percent efficiency by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The cells are created using thin-film deposition on a plastic substrate; this monolithic integration of the cells and their flexible backing permitting their draping over curved shapes. An integrated manufacturing process using “laser pattern interconnect printing” forms PV modules, 20 volt …
Bye Energy’s Green Flight Project
In his presentation at AirVenture 2009, George Bye, CEO of Bye Energy, set forth some ambitious goals for his company. This included the development of a hybrid electric power system for light aircraft (under 250 horsepower) with target markets for general aviation and experimental homebuilt aircraft. Bye explained that light, powerful electric motors and Lithium-ion batteries have achieved a mature technology level that makes this an ideal time to enter this new market. On February 18, Bye introduced the proof of concept systems that will enable him to achieve this. The Green Flight Project consists, in its first phase, of an electric motor based on the UQM 125, a 90-pound, 95-percent efficient unit that puts out up to 168 horsepower (output of the initial POC motor will be closer to 100 horsepower). A set of battery packs, totalling 200- to 300-pounds will provide power, and a dedicated motor controller and battery management system (BMS) will keep things cool and under control. …