Electric / hybrid aircraft propulsion (NOT cars)

This is extremely cool but why ducted fan? And why two?

OK, the current endurance isn’t suitable for your average pilot’s mission or reserve requirements, though of course as these things mature, endurance will no doubt improve.

Does anyone know what the performance (air speed) will be for these things?

I still maintain that I really dislike electric vehicles of all kind, except trains and subways which have an (almost) constant source of electricity. They just don’t excite me – I quite like a car and a plane to sounds like a car and a plane, and not some strange silent thing that sweeps past you. I know these things are being developed to reduce harm to the environment, save on expensive non-infinite fuels, and I suppose reduce operating costs to use etc. I guess Airbus and the like HAVE to develop these things because they want to maintain their position in emerging markets.

PS, what’s with the wing bases wheel struts, they look like something off of a supermarket trolley.

why ducted fan?

efficiency, perhaps?

And why two?

redundancy, perhaps?

what’s with the wing bases wheel struts

typical lightweight landing gear, as also used on (motorised) gliders and on the original Europa. A good thing they added a nose wheel, though. If memory serves, the Europa has the outrigger wheels actuated together with the flaps (mechanically!), a good way to help remembering lowering the gear.

Hilarious! I can’t remember when I last landed somewhere – let alone took off – with less that 1hrs fuel on board. I seem to remember that legally you need 30minutes to constitute VFR reserves, and anyone half sensible will add a bit more for a likely hold and approach. This must be a test ‘mule’ for future development, as in it’s present form it is an amusing, albeit totally useless, device. The battery technology is simply not mature enough for GA aircraft yet. Best viewed as a potentially exciting window into a possible future…

@PiperArcher: I am afraid your likes and dislikes will not weigh in very much. The average citizen will have less and less individual (auto)mobility in future, and what remains will be more and more by electrical power. R/C fliers switched to electrical propulsion almost overnight, and the rest will follow sooner or later.

But don’t be concerned about the lack of noise: I once saw an electro-powered trike demo’ed, and it was almost as noisy as a petrol burner.

“I would estimate that 80% of the traffic at our aerodrome is people flying the pattern or around the church tower for 45 minutes. And 95% of the flying that does not happen is because of the cost. That could be very well addressed by the Airbus project.”

So what happens when someone has an accident that closes the runway and the pilot who is airborne in his Airbus electric gizmo with 15 minutes of fuel on board needs to divert somewhere else?