Chip Yates in a New Role

Dean Sigler Electric Aircraft Components, Electric Aircraft Materials, Sustainable Aviation Leave a Comment

We are used to seeing Chip Yates breaking records – speed records, mostly – but there is a side to Chip that comes as a surprise to most, and his new position as Vice President of Marketing for Norsk Titanium AS (NTi) might come as a shock beyond surprise.   Chip continues with his other enterprises, noting, “Yates Electrospace Corporation was awarded a development contract for the U.S. Marine Corps to design and prepare to build a 1,000 pound payload, disposable drone to resupply troops in harm’s way!” NTi prides itself on being, “The first U.S.-based 3D printing company capable of producing complex titanium components that will meet aerospace quality requirements. The patented additive manufacturing technology uses titanium wire feedstock as raw material with a patented plasma arc as heat source to offer significantly cost benefits and shorter lead times in the manufacture of titanium components.” NTi explains, “Mr. Yates will ensure the company anticipates and exceeds the needs of …

Chip Yates Becomes World’s Fastest Person in an Electric Airplane

Dean Sigler Electric Powerplants, Sustainable Aviation Leave a Comment

On July 19 at Inyokern Airport in California, Chip Yates and his Long-ESA electric airplane set an unofficial world’s speed record for battery-powered flight, hitting 202.6 mph just before a dead cell in the battery pack forced an emergency landing.  It was the airplane’s second test flight. Following a day of taxi tests, Chip, who has been taking flying lessons and recently achieved his Private Pilot’s license, set out to see how fast his 258-horsepower mount could go.  He has become the first person to break the 200 mph barrier for electric aircraft in level flight, beating the previous record by Hugues Duval at last year’s Paris Air Show in an Electravia-powered Cri-Cri.   Duval managed to hit 175 mph on his run over the main runway at Le Bourget Airport. The same UQM motor in the Rutan-derived airplane powered his road-racing motorcycle last year, enabling him to hit over 200 mph at the Bonneville Salt Flats and to set a …

Sanyo Starting Mass Production of EV Batteries

Dean Sigler Uncategorized Leave a Comment

Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.  has announced that mass production of its EVB-101 battery package will begin in 2010.  This compact package – 366 × 213 × 66 mm – or 14.4 x 8.39 x 2.60 inches, wraps a group of 18650-size computer batteries in a water-resistant aluminum housing, complete with a standard communication plug for battery management and monitoring.  The 14 in series, six in parallel package stores 10.8 Amp hours of energy and weighs about seven kilograms (15.4 pounds).  It has a maximum discharge current of 120 Amps and a continuous output of 35 Amps. The batteries got a good workout in Yokohama Rubber’s E-V Buggy at Pike’s Peak on July 19, posting the second best time by an electric vehicle on the 20-kilometer (12.4 mile), 156-curve, 4,721 foot climb at 14 minutes 50 seconds – only 13 seconds off the all-time EV record. The specifications and demonstrated performance certainly seem to make this battery pack a contender in the …