Stimulating Simulations – Air Racing on Screen

Dean Sigler Electric Powerplants, Sustainable Aviation 1 Comment

Tony Bishop reports on The Royal Aeronautical Society’s International Light Aircraft Design Competition, which provided stimulating simulations for on-screen air racing. The 2019 RAeS competition was to design an electric air-racer, inspired by Air Race E’s new competition starting up in 2020. With a single pilot and short duration, this is an excellent proving ground for new electric power train technologies. According to the RAES, “The design rules were based on Air Race E, but widened to encourage a broader range of configurations. Air Race E rules include a minimum empty weight of 227 kg, a maximum motor power of 150 kW, fixed pitch propellers, a minimum wing area of 6.132 square meters and a fixed main undercarriage. Air Race E also demands that all motors have the same thrust line. This limitation was removed from the RAeS competition to encourage wider innovation.” According to Flyer magazine, racers had to fly around a five-kilometer (3.1 miles) course, staying within high …

Verticopter® Now Elytair

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

Oliver Garrow has been working with a convertiplane design concept since 2007, and has flown over 100 “sorties” with large scale models to test the concept and demonstrate flight characteristics. Reported here in 2010, the aircraft initially looked a bit like an annular-wing configuration with pivoting engines or electric motors for lift and propulsion.  Now, in its most current version, it looks a bit more like a box wing design with pivoting propulsion.  Oliver’s company has changed its name from Verticopter to Elytair.  As explained in company literature, “Elytair, named with the goal to offer Elite personnel Air transportation solutions, will be offered as a design platform through selective licensing agreements, for either manned or unmanned applications.” As with the Verticopter, the Elytair can land and take off in every conceivable mode; conventional take-offs and landings (CTOL), vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) and short take-offs and vertical landings (STOVL).  As with helicopters, Elytair can hover, but because it can pivot …