Piper Archer Trainers to Go Electric

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

CAE, a Canadian high-tech company, H55, Safran, and Piper Aircraft have announced a joint venture to make the popular Piper Archer® trainer electric.  With 28,000 Archers in service, a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) would replace the current Lycoming IO-360 or Continental CD-155 Diesel engines with a Safran electric motor. The Players CAE CAE, started 75 years ago by a Canadian war hero, pledges itself to making the world a safer place.  “Our vision is to be the worldwide partner of choice in civil aviation, defense and security, and healthcare by revolutionizing our customers’ training and critical operations with digitally immersive solutions to elevate safety, efficiency and readiness.” The organization runs large flight training programs and designs and operates banks of flight simulators.  It plans on converting 60 percent of its Piper fleet worldwide to electric power. This is all part of a larger environmental and social program as reported in their Annual Activity and Corporate Social Responsibility Report.  “To further …

Eviation Alice to Paris Air Show, U. S. Certification

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

Eviation is an Israeli aircraft company which believes in giving its customers a choice.  About to be shown at the Paris Air Show in July, Eviation’s Alice will be offered with either Siemens motors or MagniX units.  Air show visitors will see the craft with three Magnix 250 motors producing 375-horsepower each.  Roei Ganzarski, MagniX CEO says “They’re going to have a fully functioning aircraft, their first of type, at the Paris Air Show.  Our propulsion system is going to be on it.” Eviation’s nine-seat Alice is a bit of a trip through the looking glass, looking like a futurist’s dream machine.  The modern tri-motor features such light construction that it can carry three tons of batteries to provide 650 mile range.  Ganzarski explains, “That means you can easily do Seattle-San Francisco or other significant-range flights.  It’s a real long-range commuter aircraft.” Why Two Different Motors? Only a few months after announcing its use of Siemens motors on its Alice, …

Harbour Air and MagniX Partner for First All-Electric Airline

Dean Sigler Diesel Powerplants, Electric Powerplants, Sky Taxis, Sustainable Aviation 1 Comment

A seaplane fleet is preparing to convert its fleet to all-electric operation, which will make it the first commercial electric airline. Harbour Air, a seaplane operator based in Vancouver, B. C. is partnering with MagniX, an Australian electric motor manufacturer with offices in Seattle, Washington.  You may see Harbour’s DeHavilland Beavers, Otters and Twin Otters lifting off from or landing on  Lake Union when you drive by on the I-5. Harbour Air flies “more than 30 seaplanes” on 12 routes that carry more than a half-million passengers on 30,000 commercial flights a year.  The smallest craft they fly, the DHC-2 Beaver, carries six and burns about 20 gallons per hour of 100 low lead fuel – which now costs from just under $5.00 to over $7.00 in the Seattle region.  Obviously, fuel costs and maintenance on an engine (on the Beaver) that has not been built since 1953 must be of concern to operators. MagniX is Zero Emissions MagniX CEO …

EAS VIII: Why Don’t We See More Electric Seaplanes?

Dean Sigler Electric Powerplants, Sustainable Aviation Leave a Comment

Aaron Singer, owner and operator of Seaplane Adventures, San Francisco with his wife Tiffany, gave an excellent assessment of why we don’t see more electric seaplanes in the mix of products coming into play.  Pointing out that most water-borne efforts so far have been ultralights, such as Dale Kramer’s e-Lazair amphibian, he gave examples of the energy necessary to lift off from water and the how that plays in the daily use of a DeHavilland Beaver and Cessna 172 in which his team flies tourists around the Bay Area. Their web site explains their mission.  “The Singers bought San Francisco Seaplane Tours in January of this year and have rebranded the company as Seaplane Adventures and revamped the operation with a new logo, new energy and 100% passion for flying seaplanes in the Bay Area. We are in the Happy Business – it’s our job to bring to you a safe, exhilarating, beautiful, one-of-a-kind experience flying in a seaplane over …