Barely a sound

While this flying time is but a fraction of that achievable from avgas powered aircraft, it represents a significant leap forward for electric-powered motors. The Alpha Electro ushers in a number of innovative design improvements that boost the endurance of electric-powered aircraft.

“The Alpha Electro is unique due to its highly optimized and award winning low drag fuselage and wings,” comments Joshua Portlock, executive chairman and founder of Electro.Aero who operate the Alpha Electro.

The design and airborne endurance of the Alpha Electro makes it the perfect aircraft for Electro.Aero to launch Australia’s first flight training program for electric-driven aircraft.

Looking back

With the modern day push towards efficient and environmentally friendly propulsion, you could be forgiven for thinking electric engines are a new development in aviation. However, electric-powered air transport has its roots in the 19th century.

The first electrically powered aircraft was flown in the 1880s by French aviators Gastov and Albert Tissandier. Their airship flew from Paris, using electrically powered motors. The pioneering aircraft found work conducing meteorological surveys on behalf of the French Academy of Science.

While achieving moderate acceptance as a form of power for airships, widespread use of electric motors in fixed wing aircraft proved illusive, due to limitations in the scalability of electrical storage methods at the time.

The advent of improvements in battery efficiency throughout the late 20th century would finally allow for storage to be light and efficient; opening the door for electric motors to become a viable option for fixed-wing designs.

Fixed-wing success was first realised ninety years after the Tissandier’s airship flight; when an Austrian HB-3 Brditschka glider was converted to carry an electric engine. Yet despite its successful flight, electric motors remained largely the domain of unmanned aerial vehicles.
Throughout the 1990s, electric motors gained a widespread reputation as a pioneering aviation technology, thanks to its use in several ground-breaking research aircraft designs including NASA’s solar powered Pathfinder.

By the 1990s, battery powered engines had finally found their way into limited use in light aircraft. The first production model was produced for the Alisport Silent Club’s sailplane, although a conventional engine is also available for use on this type.

At the dawn of the 21st century, the benefits of electric propulsion started to become more attainable. Battery storage was improving at a quickening rate, and cost of acquisition of electric engines decreased. Coupled with operational efficiencies, the technology begun to appeal to a variety of commercial users.

“Electricity is substantially cheaper than petrol per flight and the mechanical simplicity of only one moving part for the electric motor means maintenance cost is lower too, while also improving reliability,” comments Portlock.

And it’s not just accountants that will appreciate the efficiency of electric aircraft. Portlock says that there are operational benefits for pilots, particularly when performing flight-training missions.

“It is only one simple throttle lever to control thrust and the pilot does not have to worry about mixture control, oil pressure, fuel pumps, magnetos, carb heat, etcetera; like in a legacy light aircraft. This is especially important during training where the student pilot should be focusing on learning the flight controls primarily and not distracted by the complexity of engine management.”

‘It is only one simple throttle lever to control thrust.’ Joshua Portlock

Electro.Aero

Electric.Aero is at the forefront of electric powered flight in Australia, and the organisation has its roots in a drive to participate in this propulsion revolution.

Witnessing a seemingly exponential improvement in electric propulsion throughout the aviation sector; Joshua Portlock founded the organisation in 2014.

Their mission is to advance the transition to environmentally sustainable aviation. True to their mission, the Jandakot based business has been linked to the development of a variety of concept aircraft, as well as being instrumental in electric aircraft certification.

“We have developed some great proof of concepts, such as our FlyKart flying go-kart,” says Portlock, referring to a personal electric VTOL aircraft that can carry a person as well as fly remotely.

He continues, “More recently we’ve identified the opportunity to fill a technology gap in the sustainable aviation propulsion technology with our ElectroDucts. These are highly integrated, modular electric ducted fans, optimized for maximum efficiency, minimum weight and highest performance from static thrust up to the maximum airspeed typical of light aircraft. This results in shorter take-off distances, higher climb rates and longer flight times for a given battery size.”

Reaping the Benefits

Initially, the environmental benefits of electric motors were the core driver of the Electro.Aero business; and environmental factors are often touted as a leading driver to adopting such technology.

But in pioneering the propulsion, Electro.Aero has identified a number of unsung benefits of electric aircraft. Such benefits range from noise abatement factors to passenger comfort.

“After researching other benefits and flying in a prototype Alpha Electro, it became clear that the reduced noise, vibration and harshness made electric aircraft even more attractive to fly,” Portlock points out.

There is growing interest in Electro.Aero’s ElectroDuct design; which provides a series of advantages for both manned and unmanned aircraft. A self-contained modular propulsion unit, the ElectroDuct design incorporates the duct, propeller, motor controller and batteries to allow for a fully integrated system in any new-build or conversion project.

Optimised to offer superior performance in experimental VOTL or ESTOL profiles, the company sees a range of potential customers. Uses vary from air taxis to light aircraft conversion, as well as heavy unmanned aerial vehicles.

Furthermore, a strong focus on market feedback has seen Electro.Aero take steps to ensure the design of the ElectroDuct addressed issues evident in traditional propellers designs, further boosting its appeal.

“Our ElectroDucts are safer with the enclosed propellers, can be smaller for the same thrust or produce far more thrust for the same size and power. A pair of ElectroDucts mounted either side of the fuselage are even more efficient than one propeller inefficiently blowing air over the fuselage, as the ducts are getting much cleaner uniform airflow in and out, without the additional blown fuselage drag,” Portlock explains.

Electro.Aero tout a reduction in the operation costs for commercial pilot training centres, as well as improvements in the propulsion redundancy for air taxi operators, as two industries that will see immediate benefits from the ElectroDuct.

“The biggest long-term potential of our ElectroDuct’s are employing them in new VTOL transitioning aircraft designs, that can take-off and land vertically like helicopters and cruise efficient to maximise speed and range,” Portlock comments.

“This will eventually facilitate personal on-demand aerial mobility from point-to-point, substantially reducing transit times, especially during peak hour traffic, over cities or large bodies of water.”

Enter Pipistrel

The most notable local advance in electric-powered aviation is Electro.Aero’s maiden Australian flight of a Pipistrel Alpha Electro.

The two-seater aircraft received Australian certification in late 2017. The January 2018 flight from Jandakot Airport was the first for a production electric aircraft in Australia.

The aircraft sports a 60kW electric motor to climb at a rate greater than 1,000 fpm. Operators can then throttle back to 20kW and cruise at around 85 knots. However it is the aircraft’s range that makes it a stand out among existing electric models.

‘It is the Pipistrel’s range that makes it a stand out among electric aircraft.’

“The Pipistrel Alpha Electro is unique due to its highly optimized and award winning low drag fuselage and wings, allowing it to get about an hour of endurance plus reserve, which is more than adequate for initial training,” comments Portlock.

The first flight incorporated two circuits at Jandakot, following the traffic pattern established at the airport. Having accomplished a smooth inaugural flight, the aircraft has since been used to train flying instructors who will ultimately utilise the aircraft as a pilot training vehicle.

The aircraft’s traditional appearance was juxtaposed with its unusually quiet engine; which instantly demonstrated its noise abatement features.

“It really is the quietest light aircraft that any of us have ever seen” said Electro.Aero Finance Director, Richard Charlton at the time of the maiden flight.

“This is the start of the next revolution in general aviation. We are already fielding enquiries from airports located in major cities where noise complaints have become their number one concern.”

The aircraft has been granted a Recreational Pilot Certificate from Recreational Aviation Australia (RAAus). As such it is a RAAus-registered aircraft, carrying the RAAus tail number of 23-0938.

A Special Certificate of Airworthiness from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) allows the aircraft to be used by Electro.Aero in a training role. It can carry two people, and has a maximum take off weight of up to 550kg.

The success of the Alpha Electro’s introduction into Electro.Aero’s fleet has since been coupled with the organisation’s launch of the first electric pilot training programme in Australia.

Offered in conjunction with Cloud Dancer Pilot Training, the program includes the full spectrum of pilot training scenarios such as circuits, stalls, steep turns and forced landings.

Run out of Jandakot, trainees will also experience flying in controlled airspace, communicating with Jandakot’s air traffic control tower as well as utilising radar coverage at the airfield.

“The feedback has been extremely positive,” says Portlock. “We’re finding the improved comfort, lower complexity and better affordability are contributing to more new people wanting and able to fly, who previously have not thought of undertaking flight training due to either cost, complexity or comfort.”

The future

There is little doubt that the future of electric powered aircraft looks bright. As technology improves, design benefits will see range widen, continued reductions in operating costs and an ongoing uptake from operators around the world bringing unit price down.

Further advantages of electric motors include weight savings, reduced mechanical complexity and lower vibrations. Yet electric aircraft do come with some limitations.

This includes power storage barriers, as battery technology continues to underperform against liquid fuel in energy output; limiting range when compared to conventionally powered aircraft.

Yet despite these limitations, Joshua Portlock is buoyant about the future.

“The technology is steadily advancing to improve battery energy density, reduce airframe weight through more advanced manufacturing techniques and improving propulsion system efficiency, such as our ElectroDucts, to maximize endurance,” comments an enthusiastic Portlock.

“In 5 years we’ll see the legacy fleet of training get replaced by electric fixed wing aircraft. In 10 years we’ll most likely see VTOL air taxis employing our ElectroDucts for minimum noise and maximum performance.”

But for now, if you live in or around Jandakot Airport and see the silhouette of a small aircraft pass overhead listen carefully. If there’s hardly any sound, chances are it’s an Electro.Aero aircraft flying at the forefront of Australia’s aviation revolution.