

Airbus E-Fan - atilev
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airbus_E-Fan

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0xfaded
Pipistrel is also working on an electric trainer [0], but has side by side
seating which imo is better for instruction. Like the e-fan it has 172 like
performance.

What is truly painful about the 172 is how an inefficient 60's airframe is
still the goto choice for flight schools and first plane buyers. A modern 2
seat motor glider / LSA can be 1.5x faster, have double the range with an
engine of half the power and fuel consumption. Also, that fuel is unleaded
(avgas is leaded).

The lead issue has also spurred the development of turbo diesel aviation
engines [1], which run on the more energy dense jet fuel.

There is hope that these next gen airframes and engines will lead to personal
two and four seaters with mpg on par with sedans. Unfortunately though in
aviation energy density is critical, and whilst there may be an argument for
hybrid systems with an electric boost during climb, I don't think we will see
electric personal craft in the near future. See Cafe for more on the state of
electric craft [2].

[0]
[http://www.pipistrel.si/plane/wattsup/overview](http://www.pipistrel.si/plane/wattsup/overview)
[1]
[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilksch_WAM_series](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilksch_WAM_series)
[2] [http://cafefoundation.org](http://cafefoundation.org)

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throwaway88994
What is truly amazing about the 172 is how it is certified for night and IFR
operations, is lighting resistant, can carry up to 4 people and luggage, and
can carry a typical American adult and flight instructor.

LSAs are a toy in comparison to the 172.

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t077
Just as Airbus was completing plans for its successful crossing of the English
Channel in an electric airplane Thursday, it appears as though it got beat to
the punch by French pilot Hugues Duval flying an electric powered CRI-CRI
Cristaline twin. Duval completed the flight Thursday evening, even though
authorities attempted to block it:

[http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/Did-Duwal-Beat-
Airbus-A...](http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/Did-Duwal-Beat-Airbus-
Across-the-Channel-224410-1.html)

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tzs
As the Wikipedia article notes, it also got beat to the punch by the Solar
Challenger in 1981.

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x5n1
can they possibly give it a less sexy name?

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Gys
Fannie or Fan-E ? ;-)

