Now that's about the most logical remark so far......
Thanks
Tanks could be designed to hold batteries. The remaining batteries would mount to the firewall to maintain W&B as the small electric motor would weigh very little.
Well, that's one way to go and might be a good idea for a retrofit, but if you're designing the airframe from the ground up, it probably makes more sense to spread the weight more evenly - the tanks currently have a lot of structural reinforcement because the weight of the fuel is concentrated there. You can have the same volume of batteries spread out in thin layers, like the ones you find in laptops/tablets/etc. and save some weight on the wing structure.
They may also double as interior heating if you put them against the cabin walls
just hope they weren't made by Samsung...
Unfortunately, the whole thing (concentrated or not) would weigh considerably more than the fuel required for the equivalent range (so you end up with a poor power-to-weight ratio, like Solar Impulse). The recent advances like Siemens's SP260D (50kg engine used on the Extra 300LE) show that there's a path to get there, it's just not easy...
Now if instead of plain batteries you talk about something like fuel cells, those are a whole different beast...higher energy density (at a higher cost currently). Some of the technology details are ITAR-controlled (under category VIII?) though, so I'll refrain from commenting any further.
I was looking at the
the electric Extra, and it seems they use batteries from Pipistrel, but it's unclear what type they are.
The conversion kit would include battery tanks, motor- battery mount, new streamline cowl and the electric motor and controller.
Not sure about "streamlined cowl" - those systems aren't necessarily smaller or even lighter than the current ones...but yes, it should be doable to create such a kit
I think Van,s won't ignore this challange..... It is the way of the future for sport flying.
Van, please start with the 3.
Let's hope they don't ignore it
the only downside is that I'd be forced to build a second plane