{"id":8293,"date":"2013-09-27T19:40:02","date_gmt":"2013-09-28T02:40:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cafe.foundation\/blog\/?p=8293"},"modified":"2013-11-07T06:22:27","modified_gmt":"2013-11-07T13:22:27","slug":"going-after-new-records-and-new-adventures","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/cafe.foundation\/blog\/going-after-new-records-and-new-adventures\/","title":{"rendered":"Going After New Records and New Adventures"},"content":{"rendered":"

Already holder of all the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI) world records<\/a> for\u00a0light electric aircraft,\u00a0Jean-Luc Soullier of AeroSkyLux <\/a>has announced his latest endeavor, the Etlantic Project. \u00a0Since he achieved these records in a microlight MC-30<\/a> with a Lynch-type Electravia motor<\/a>, he has searched for a higher-performance airplane and power system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
SUB-CLASS<\/th>\nTYPE OF RECORD<\/th>\nPERFORMANCE<\/th>\nDATE<\/th>\nCLAIMANT<\/th>\nSTATUS<\/th>\nID<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
RAL1E<\/td>\nSpeed over a straight course<\/td>\n189.87 km\/h<\/td>\n2012-09-29<\/td>\nJean Luc Soullier (BEL)<\/a><\/td>\nratified – current record<\/td>\n16638<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
RAL1E<\/td>\nAltitude<\/td>\n2366 m<\/td>\n2012-02-27<\/td>\nJean Luc Soullier (BEL)<\/a><\/td>\nratified – current record<\/td>\n16497<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
RAL1E<\/td>\nDistance over a closed circuit without landing<\/td>\n50.13 km<\/td>\n2012-02-27<\/td>\nJean Luc Soullier (BEL)<\/a><\/td>\nratified – current record<\/td>\n16496<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
RAL1E<\/td>\nSpeed over a closed circuit of 50 km<\/td>\n136.4 km\/h<\/td>\n2012-02-27<\/td>\nJean Luc Soullier (BEL)<\/a><\/td>\nratified – current record<\/td>\n16495<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Working with Windward Performance<\/a> in Bend, Oregon the Luxembourg-based organization has developed a version of the Duckhawk sailplane that will be \u201cexclusively powered by clean energy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Greg<\/a>

Greg Cole proudly displays prototype Duckhawk at 2012 Soaring Society of America convention. Note the Designer’s Perlan cockpit mockups in background. Within a few months, Duckhawk won 15-meter nationals, made outstanding showing at 18-meter nationals<\/p><\/div>\n

According to the Aeroskylux press release, \u201cThe development team and the industrial partners have as a first step finished the full carbon wings.\u201d\u00a0 According to a source at Windward, those wings and the fuselage for the Etlantic airplane will be lighter than the already light 390 pound empty weight 15-meter sailplane, even though the thinner skins are pulled from the same molds as the production Duckhawk.<\/p>\n

The light weight will allow incorporation of a nose-mounted electric motor, controller, and batteries \u2013 as yet unspecified.\u00a0 But Aeroskylux assures us that, \u201cThe very high efficiency and the capacity of the power cells will allow for very long flights with complete security.\u201d \u00a0Since the airplane will probably come in at an all-up weight of around 660-pounds (only a rumor at this point), it might be able to fly in the FAI RAL-1E sub-category, microlights with movable aerodynamic controls and electric power – the same category as that for his MC-30E.<\/p>\n

Jean-Luc Soullier the project director and holder of several electric flight records tells us that \u201cThe team is now ready to move on to the maiden flight testing of the demonstrator, [with] first flights [to] be completed in the southern French Alps.\u201d<\/p>\n

Aeroskylux, known for its technological innovation, is preparing for a series of larger challenges.<\/p>\n

The first challenge, scheduled for 2014, calls upon Jean-Luc Soullier to cross the Atlantic via the north in three hops of about \u00a02,200 kilometers (1,100 nautical miles or 1,265 statute miles) each.<\/p>\n

The team chose Brussels, Belgium for a starting point due to its central position at the heart of Europe.\u00a0 The modified Duckhawk will finally land in Canada at a destination to be chosen by local partners.<\/p>\n

In 2015, Jean-Luc plans a non-stop crossing from New York City to Brussels in one non-stop leg of 6,000 km. (3,000 nm or 3,450 sm).\u00a0 This would be unprecedented for such a light aircraft, and will require technology beyond currently-available batteries.\u00a0 We will track the progress of this effort with great interest. \u00a0Without aerial recharging like that proposed by Chip Yates for his planned Atlantic crossing<\/a>, Jean-Luc’s approach will be an interesting alternative approach.<\/p>\n

The Aeroskylux web site lists the following Federation Aeronautique Internationale record aspirations for the new airplane:<\/p>\n