{"id":3077,"date":"2011-04-13T12:24:50","date_gmt":"2011-04-13T19:24:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cafe.foundation\/blog\/?p=3077"},"modified":"2011-04-13T21:34:13","modified_gmt":"2011-04-14T04:34:13","slug":"the-electric-firefly-sets-two-world-records","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/cafe.foundation\/blog\/the-electric-firefly-sets-two-world-records\/","title":{"rendered":"The Electric Firefly Sets Two World Records"},"content":{"rendered":"

Jean-Luc Soullier has converted Michel Colomban\u2019s two-cylinder internal combustion MC-30 Luciole (Firefly) into an electric aircraft \u2013 not without some teething problems<\/a>, but with plenty of promise.\u00a0 His group, LSA, Luxembourg Sp\u00e9cial\u00a0Aerotechnics, consists of Jean-Luc, Martin Marschner von Helmreich, and Fabrice Tummers \u2013 and has terrific ambitions.<\/p>\n

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LSA's MC-30E during a period of "travail"<\/p><\/div>\n

Fabrice, in response to questions about the record attempts, sent the following: \u201cOur target in 2011 is to realize the totality of the world records of the F.A.I. in the category RAL 1E, and cross the Mediterranean Sea.\u00a0 The first attempt [a speed record] was not ratified by the F.A.I. but the medium speed recorded was 160 kilometers per hour (99.4 mph) over 15 kilometers. (9.3 miles)\u201d<\/p>\n

With the 118 pounds of batteries now on board, the airplane has more than one hour endurance, but a proposed switch to hydrogen fuel cells will allow six-hour flights and make Mediterranean crossings a breeze.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Looking More tidy on display in Monaco<\/p><\/div>\n

If the team can keep the motor and controller cool.\u00a0 Reports show the controller shuts down when it reaches 320 Amps output \u2013 something that happens with an \u201caggressive\u201d setting on the ground-adjustable propeller to allow a good rate of climb.\u00a0 Jean-Luc experienced this at about 30 feet altitude on one takeoff, where an immediate shutdown\u00a0was least welcome.\u00a0 The team is exploring other options for the controller, possibly even doubling up on the current unit.\u00a0 A big problem is that the HPD-13.5 motor <\/a>is limited to 16 kW for limited times, pushing its performance to its limits.<\/p>\n