July/August 2019

n TRANSPORTATION Are electric aircraft ready for take-off ? F or several years now, pioneering aircraft developers around the world have been flying prototype planes powered either wholly or partially by electric power. But the prospect of such craft becoming a commercial reality took a stride forward at this summer’s Paris Air Show where several developers were talking about their plans for hybrid or pure- electric planes. Grabbing the headlines was an Israeli start- up, called Eviation, which was showing an all- electric nine-passenger regional aircraft called Alice which it hopes to fly for the first time later this year before entering commercial service, possibly as soon as 2022. The craft, powered by three electric motors, carries a 900kWh lithium-ion battery weighing 3,700kg. Alice has a potential range of around 1,000km, and Eviation says that it will be cheaper to run and quieter than a conventional aircraft with similar capabilities. It also believes that the $4m craft will be more reliable and cheaper to maintain than planes powered by internal combustion engines, pointing out that while each electric motor has just one moving part, a reciprocating engine has about ten – six pistons, a crankshaft, oil pump and two-shaft gearbox. Eviation has built double (and, in Considerable progress has been made towards a new generation of aircraft that are powered completely or partially by electricity. But, as Tony Sacks reports, there are still considerable obstacles to be overcome. Tel: 01284 388 033 sales@ete.co.uk www.ete.co.uk Eastern Transformers & Equipment Ltd ...In complete control of power • ETE are now cerƟĮed to design and manufacture UL Listed transformers • Designed to UL 5085 - 1 and UL 5085 - 2 standards • 25VA to 5kVA 1ph • Manufactured in the UK • Fast turnaround • Custom - built to your speciĮc requirements