The Little Firefly That Could

Dean Sigler Electric Powerplants, Sustainable Aviation 2 Comments

This little airplane is the fastest in its category in the world, unofficially. Flying from Koksijde, Belgium’s military airport, it clocked 189.87 kilometers per hour (117.7 mph) over a 15-kilometer straight-line course, a big improvement over its official speed record set on February 27 of this year. It also holds the official altitude and distance record in its class.

Jean-Luc Soullier's MC-30 Luciole with duct tape gleaming in the sun

Designed by Michel Colomban, one of the engineers for the Concorde, the MC-30 Luciole (Firefly) has a structure weighing only 98 pounds, ideal for adding heavy battery packs as part of its electrification.

Its Lynch-type motor, controller and batteries were supplied by Anne Lavrand at Electravia, and have flown in the MC-30 for over a year. These are similar to the motors used in the MC-15 Cri-Cri that Hugues Duval flew at 175 mph down the main runway at Le Bourget during last year’s Paris Air Show.

Near translucent appearance highlights airy structure of MC30

 Jean-Luc Soullier, the pilot and founder of Luxembourg Spécial Aerotechnics, shared these pictures with the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI) application and a graph showing the flight’s performance parameters. Once again, this type of record shows what dedicated amateur builders and experimenters can accomplish without vast outlays. Jean-Luc says he’s now going to concentrate on increasing the efficiency of the aircraft, something that will be of great interest at CAFE headquarters.

Comments 2

  1. Congratulations! Those engines are really successful. The company which makes those electric propulsion kits allows efficient realizations.
    I personally know an electric project which is going to fly with this Electravia engine in the US. We shall soon speak about it I hope!

  2. Could you send me some info as to the cost of this engine. I’m in the process of making a light weight glider, and perhaps puting a small electric engine could be a good fit.

    Thanks,

    Ed.

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