Don Hudson Posted December 1, 2019 Share Posted December 1, 2019 On fuel requirements, good question, J.O. Interestingly, the whole "fuel to carry fuel" and reduced power needs as fuel is burnt would no longer apply because the landing weight of electric aircraft would be the same as the takeoff weight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Pulman Posted December 3, 2019 Share Posted December 3, 2019 On 12/2/2019 at 12:08 AM, Don Hudson said: the landing weight of electric aircraft would be the same as the takeoff weight. Not according to Einstein. But I grant you that the difference between the takeoff and landing weights wouldn’t be measurable using Newtonian scales. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Hudson Posted December 3, 2019 Share Posted December 3, 2019 Hi Rich; Hehe...Same question as, "What's a pixel weigh?" But if course it's the heavy support system that makes, "it weighs nothing", possible. As Einstein understood, there's no free lunch in nature! The reducing-weight-through-burning-fuel problem is partly mitigated by the superior efficiency of electric engines over internal-combustion engines. Perspective: take a look at the clever but highly-inefficient Newcomen engine of ~300 years ago! The challenges are always power-to-weight. Kerosene out-performs current lithium-ion solutions by approximately a 50:1 ratio. Development of Li-ion power/volume/weight ratios is proceeding at about a 3x/year level. Long-range, high-capacity airliners, like autonomous flight, are a long way away yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seeker Posted December 3, 2019 Share Posted December 3, 2019 40 minutes ago, Don Hudson said: Long-range, high-capacity airliners, like autonomous flight, are a long way away yet. This is true but I recently talked to someone who is familiar with the Harbour Air DHC-2 project and his opinion is that it will be viable. The reasons are quite specific to Harbour Air's operation. The usual flight is just 15 minutes or so - across from Vancouver to Nanaimo and the battery will be (anticipated to be) capable of 1 hour operation - pretty much lines up perfectly with a flight and required reserves. On the turn it would get plugged and and is anticipated to be able to recover the 25% used in about 30 minutes. Perhaps a waiver of the 45 minute reserve is possible for a VFR float plane, perhaps the turn gets stretched to 45 minutes, perhaps there's a quick swap system for the battery pack to handle longer flights. IAC, this isn't a pie-in-the-sky plan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Hudson Posted December 3, 2019 Share Posted December 3, 2019 Hi seeker; Agree - contrary to "pie-in-the-sky", all indications point to electric, autonomous flight at some point. In my view, December 11th is as much a "Kitty Hawk" moment as the first one, a mere 115 years, 11 months, 24 days ago... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kip Powick Posted December 3, 2019 Share Posted December 3, 2019 Nanaimo to Vancouver flight ....... Electrical cost...... $ 0.79 Extension cord......$ 4029.95. plus tax They will be bankrupt in under a week..................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 I wish them good fortune. B.C. seaplane company set to test the first commercial electronic plane News provided by the Vancouver Sun – link to full story and updates RICHMOND, B.C. — The world’s first all-electric commercial aircraft is set to lift off Tuesday from the Harbour Air Seaplane terminal in Richmond, B.C. The seaplane company announced in March that it had partnered with engineering firm MagniX in Washington state with the goal of becoming the world’s first all-electric airline. Harbour Air CEO Greg McDougall says in a video statement that he’s convinced the future of aviation is electrified and he’s proud to be part of the conversion to e-planes. The test flight was moved up from Wednesday to avoid a change in the weather in the Vancouver area and McDougall will be the pilot of the retrofitted Beaver seaplane during the test. The plane is powered by a 750 horsepower electric motor. Harbour Air covers 12 routes and operates about 30,000 flights a year between Vancouver, Victoria, Seattle and other locations. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 10, 2019. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 Harbour Air and magniX Announce Successful Flight of World's First Commercial Electric Airplane Provided by magniX/CNW Inaugural flight is the first step in becoming the world’s first all-electric commercial fleet VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Dec. 10, 2019 /CNW/ — Harbour Air, North America’s largest seaplane airline and magniX, the company powering the electric aviation revolution, today announced the successful flight of the world’s first all-electric commercial aircraft. The successful flight of the ePlane, a six-passenger DHC-2 de Havilland Beaver magnified by a 750-horsepower (560 kW) magni500 propulsion system, took place on the Fraser River at Harbour Air Seaplanes terminal in Richmond (YVR South) this morning. The plane was piloted by Harbour Air CEO and founder Greg McDougall. This historic flight signifies the start of the third era in aviation – the electric age. The world’s first fully electric commercial aircraft takes flight. The Harbour Air ePlane is magnified by the magniX magni500, a 750-horsepower electric propulsion system. The world’s first fully electric commercial aircraft takes flight. The Harbour Air ePlane is magnified by the magniX magni500, a 750-horsepower electric propulsion system. The world’s first fully electric commercial aircraft takes flight. The Harbour Air ePlane is magnified by the magniX magni500, a 750-horsepower electric propulsion system. The world’s first fully electric commercial aircraft takes flight. The Harbour Air ePlane is magnified by the magniX magni500, a 750-horsepower electric propulsion system. “Today, we made history,” said Greg McDougall, CEO and founder of Harbour Air Seaplanes. “I am incredibly proud of Harbour Air’s leadership role in re-defining safety and innovation in the aviation and seaplane industry. Canada has long held an iconic role in the history of aviation, and to be part of this incredible world-first milestone is something we can all be really proud of.” Earlier this year, Harbour Air announced its partnership with magniX and the company’s intention to build the world’s first completely electric commercial seaplane fleet. The magni500, which was unveiled at the Paris Air Show in June, 2019, is a high-power-density electric propulsion system that provides a clean and efficient way to power airplanes. Today that plan took flight and became a reality. “In December 1903, the Wright Brothers launched a new era of transportation—the aviation age—with the first flight of a powered aircraft. Today, 116 years later, with the first flight of an all-electric powered commercial aircraft, we launched the electric era of aviation,” said Roei Ganzarski, CEO of magniX. “The transportation industry and specifically the aviation segment that has been, for the most part, stagnant since the late 1930s, is ripe for a massive disruption. Now we are proving that low-cost, environmentally friendly, commercial electric air travel can be a reality in the very near future.” magniX and Harbour Air will now begin the certification and approval process for the propulsion system and the retrofitting of aircraft. Once the certification is complete, the rest of the fleet can be magnified with magniX’s all-electric propulsion technology. Share this: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagger Posted December 10, 2019 Author Share Posted December 10, 2019 It's done https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/harbour-air-and-magnix-announce-successful-flight-of-world-s-first-commercial-electric-airplane-814446923.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airband Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 ...and 3x longer than the Wright bros Kitty Hawk flt (58sec). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.O. Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 Congratulations to Greg and the Harbour Air team! There's a GoPro video of the entire flight posted here. https://www.dropbox.com/sh/qyofxcdy117snp1/AACNYXclUrqHfop8RaojfpXfa?dl=0&preview=Dec+10+Flight+goPro.MP4 The takeoff starts at about 4:00 minutes and the landing is at 8:25. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kip Powick Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 Wonder what the noise level is on the ground ?? From the camera on the wing it sounds like a bunch of ball bearings trying to figure out whether to go clockwise or counter-clock wise... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 11, 2019 Share Posted December 11, 2019 the following article contains video from the water and it doesn't sound much difference than a normal beaver. (to my untrained ear) https://globalnews.ca/video/6278729/harbour-air-plane-with-electric-engine-takes-flight-in-richmond Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kip Powick Posted December 11, 2019 Share Posted December 11, 2019 23 minutes ago, Marshall said: the following article contains video from the water and it doesn't sound much difference than a normal beaver. (to my untrained ear) https://globalnews.ca/video/6278729/harbour-air-plane-with-electric-engine-takes-flight-in-richmond Well I think the real noise we hear is the prop, I would imagine the engine is not that noisy but the props, (tips), can be approaching super sonic speed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airband Posted May 30, 2020 Share Posted May 30, 2020 30 min flight, same outfit that partnered with Harbour Air First successful flight for world's largest all-electric plane.mp4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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