FIRST FLIGHTS OF ELECTRICAL MOTORGLIDER "ALATUS"
Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th of January 2009 took place first flights of electrical motorglider Alatus-ME from Sisteron-Vaumeilh airfield (Alpes de Haute Provence – France).
This single-seater ultralight motorglider is manufactured by the Ukrainian company Aerola and distributed in France by Randkar (Frossay – Loire Atlantique). The electrical motorization E-Motors is developed by Electravia, and is already implemented on the plane "Electra" and on the delta trikes "ElectroTrike". The motor delivers 26 hp and is powered by a Lithium-Polymer battery.
Michel Sérane, Electravia's test pilot, has checked all flight configurations of the motorglider. Altitude gain is 2.100 m. Alatus flight endurance in calm weather is 1h07. This duration is the longest logged one on aircraft equipped with batteries at present.
The Alatus-M offers advantages of different aircraft: comfort and performances of glider, compactness of hangglider and ease of use of an ultralight. Electrical motor is reliable, clean, silent, economic and easy to maintain. Alatus with electrical motor becomes a 100% ecological motorglider for nature lover and environment-friendly's pilots.
Alatus-ME is also the cheapest motorglider on the market. It will be available end of spring, 2009, after complete validation of its test program.
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WORLDWIDE PREMIERE: FIRST AIRCRAFT FLIGHT WITH ELECTRICAL ENGINE
23.12.2007
On sunday december 23rd at 11:50 am took place the first flight of the Electra F-WMDJ, equipped with electrical engine of 25cv and Lithium polymere batteries.
The pilot - test engineer Christian Vandamme - realized this historical test from the Aspres sur Buech airfield (Hautes Alpes).
This 48 minutes flight over more than 50 kilometers realized in closed circuit is the world premiere flight of this type.
This exceptional technological progress in the leisure aviation sector proposes an alternative solution without precedent to the current thermic engines for aircrafts requiring a 15 to 50ch power. This flight uses the electrical engine for light aircrafts respecting the environmental context and the control of energy costs.
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photos : Jean-Bernard Gache |
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The French engineers team who is behind this project use the experience and skills of the ACV Aero Service firm, ELECTRAVIA creation firm, and the APAME (association for the promotion of Electrical engine aircrafts). These innovative works are managed by Anne Lavrand, ELECTRA project chief.
The single-seater Electra is the first conventional airplane to run entirely on batteries. The plane has a very traditional design, the only difference being the method for turning the prop. It shows that as the energy density of batteries increases, so too does their potential application.
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A WORLDWIDE PREMIERE ?
ELECTRA is NOT the first AIRCRAFT to be equipped with an electric engine. There was previously motoplaneurs, gliders with engines, platforms of experiment (mostly equipped with photovoltaic panels), some paramotors. In all, ther were more than about sixty projects in the world since the 1960s.
However, the flight of ELECTRA really constitutes a world premiere, because:
- It is the first electric AIRCRAFT with batteries which will have an airwothiness certificate (and not a glider, motoglider,...);
- Its autonomy (48 mn ) is the most important never reached on batteries (and not thanks to photovoltaic systems);
- One of the challenge was to scale up electric drive to equip passenger - carrying conventional aircraft of the kind flown by recreational pilots.
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And now ? There is a lot of work to be made before seeing of numerous ultralights and small planes flying with an electric engine ! But this flight shows that it's possible.
Some technical datas :
Aircraft "ELECTRA" registreted F-WMDJ :
- One-seater
- Homebuilt construction, in wood and fabrics
- Wing span : 9 m
- Length : 7 m
- Weight of the aircraft without batteries: 134 kg
- Maximal weight for take off : 265 kg
- Cruise speed : 90 km/h
Electrical engine :
- Disk brush electrical motor of 18 kW electric engine developed and manufactured by LMC Ltd England
- Lithium - Polymer Batteries (total weight of batteries : 47 kg - quick charge : 45 minutes) manufactured by KOKAM
- Special ground-adjustable propeller ARPLAST
- Power management unit by ACV Aero Service
- Implementation of this electrical motorization by ACV Aero Service
Press :
Article on THE TIMES, dated 03.01.2008
Article on Flight International dated 21.01.2008
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APAME' S ELECTRICAL TRIKE IS FLYING !
25.08.2007
World performance On August 25 th 2007, the ultralight trike called "Electron Libre" (it means "free electron"!), powered by a 20 HP electric brush motor and implemented by APAME and ACV Aéro Service, performed a 22 minutes flight in calm atmosphere conditions from Aspres sur Buëch airfield (Alpen). New powerful LIPO batteries allow such a performance. Of course the trike is very noiseless. Flight with electric motor is now possible and affordable by all. |
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This significant flight is the first milestone of the experimentation and validation of many parameters.
This ultralight is a trike (weight-shift control) and was elected for these first tests : It allows a simple implementation and control of the motor, controller and batteries.
After validation, this electric system will be adapted on other light airplanes.
Work is carried out by APAME team in ACV Aéro Service premises.
22 minutes in calm atmosphere conditions
APAME - Le Village - 05140 St Pierre d'Argençon - France
Email : apame@apame.eu
