On to the North Sea, Electrically

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

Elektroweltrekordflug A team in Switzerland attempted an elektroweltrekordflug, an electric world record flight, hoping to set seven world records in one 700-kilometer trip. Flying a new, certified Pipistrel Velis, the team of Marco Buholzer and co-pilot Morell Westermann hoped to find their way into the Guinness Book of World Records for the following: • Lowest energy consumption (kWh / 100 km -62 miles) over 700km (434 miles) • Highest average speed over 700 km (km / h) • Highest flight altitude ever reached with an electric aircraft (meters – 3.280 feet – above main sea level) • Fastest climbing performance from 0-1000m / 1000-2000m / 2000-3000m (m / s) • Fastest average speed over 100km (km / h) • Smallest number of intermediate stops over a distance of 700 km (number of stops)` • Longest electrically flown route in 24/48/56 hours (km) The team made much the same point that Gabriel DeVault made in accepting the MacCready Prize at last …