Author Topic: Quick Change Battery in Light Sport Aircraft  (Read 7491 times)

bob.humphreys

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Quick Change Battery in Light Sport Aircraft
« on: July 25, 2015, 07:17:50 PM »
RX1E is World’s First Certified Electric LSA

Zhao-lijie demonstrates the quick-change battery configuration of the certified RX1E battery-powered LSA.

By Randy Dufault

 


Zhao-lijie demonstrates the quick-change battery configuration of the certified RX1E battery-powered LSA.

 Photo credit: Wili Tacke


July 26, 2015 - While the U.S. continues to work through the details of how to certify electrically powered light sport-aircraft, other parts of the world already embrace it.

Electric power systems are part of the ASTM LSA standard. That fact allowed Chinese aircraft manufacturer Liaoning General Aircraft Manufacturing Company to certify its RX1E two-seat, composite structure LSA in their home country.

Designed by the manufacturer’s companion aviation academy, the RX1E was intended for electric propulsion from the beginning. Power for its 50-kw (approximately 67 hp) motor comes from a 12 kilowatt-hour battery set. Flight duration is approximately one hour on a fully charged battery, making the plane a good option for zero-emission primary flight training. Two of the craft are reportedly already serving in that role.

Charging the battery can take up to two-and-a-half hours, but a rapid-change system allows an operator to maintain more than one battery set and charge the battery outside of the airplane.

The company is experimenting with fuel cell power as part of its UAS program in addition to the battery configuration powering the LSA.

An RX1E is on display here at AirVenture 2015, but the company has not yet secured the necessary permissions to fly it in the U.S.
http://www.eaa.org/~/media/images/news/av-2015/07-25/07-25-2015-chinese-rx1e-960.jpg?mh=280&mw=730

jeffrey.miller

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Re: Quick Change Battery in Light Sport Aircraft
« Reply #1 on: July 27, 2015, 02:06:20 AM »
Odd that they just haven't called it an experimental and flown it here anyway...

That aside Electric airplanes are coming.  The inherent reliability is really good and the cost to have a fully redundant set up isn't nearly as expensive as it is for a piston pumper.  Single engine operation is also nice as most electrical systems have the ability to support short term power that will save your life but at the expense of a ruined pack. 

Probably the biggest issue I see here is the range issue.  This isn't an issue for flight training in the pattern and so forth but as soon as you venture out in to the open airspace reserve energy starts to get tricky in an airplane with an hour of flight time. 

On a totally separate note airports often have high power connections to provide ground power to larger airplanes so at least they have that going for them.