{"id":800,"date":"2010-04-11T23:49:57","date_gmt":"2010-04-12T06:49:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cafe.foundation\/blog\/?p=800"},"modified":"2010-04-14T07:26:39","modified_gmt":"2010-04-14T14:26:39","slug":"pc-aeros-elektra-one","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/cafe.foundation\/blog\/pc-aeros-elektra-one\/","title":{"rendered":"PC-Aero’s Elektra One"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dipl. Ing. Calin Gologan, an exhibitor and\u00a0presenter at this year’s\u00a0E-Flight Expo at Friedrichshafen, will be at the fourth annual Electric Aircraft Symposium, discussing the design and technology he hopes will imbue the winning entry in next year’s Green Flight Challenge.\u00a0\u00a0 He notes that the GFC, “the world’s largest prize…awarded in general aviation,” was a major incentive in his pressing forward with an environmentally conscientious design.<\/p>\n

His Elektra One is part his PC-Aero’s <\/a>ambitious campaign to fly three different electric aircraft in the next few years, the single-seat “One,” two-seat “Two,”, and most ambitiously, a four-seat “Four.”<\/p>\n

With at least the shell of Elektra One at the Expo, Gologan is making good progress toward completion of his GFC machine,\u00a0the prototype for the first of a line of production aircraft.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Elektra One unveiled at Friedrichshafen<\/p><\/div>\n

Gologan’s goals are enunciated in his PC-Aero web site.\u00a0 “The Elektra One is environmentally friendly, because it flies without CO2<\/sub> emissions. It is light and has a high end aerodynamics. Integrated are modern technologies: batteries, electric motors, solar cells and lightest fiber composite structures. In this electric airplane the latest scientific ‘green’ findings are integrated.”<\/p>\n

With a 90 kilogram (208 pound) empty weight, including motor, for its 27 foot wingspan, 21 horsepower, and a lightweight battery pack, the One will top out at no more than 120 kilograms empty\u00a0to meet limits\u00a0for\u00a0the new German ultralight class.\u00a0 This will allow pilots to fly without a medical, a key part in making these new machines available to a broader public.<\/p>\n

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Elektra One's sailplane-like lines, very small motor compartment<\/p><\/div>\n

In common with all airplanes in the Elektra family, the One has a light carbon fiber structure, a sailplane-like 26:1 lift to drag ratio, and a three-hour flight endurance.\u00a0 This is a significant challenge for a battery pack that can weigh no more 30 kilograms (66 pounds)\u00a0to keep the empty weight within UL limits.\u00a0 Future refinements may include solar cells in the slender wings for range extension, and some views suggest retractable landing gear.<\/p>\n

The product displayed at Friedrichshafen is beautiful, and we look forward to further developments. <\/p>\n