Re:GE, NASA Partner to advance the future of electric flight
by thescriptkiddie on Sunday September 29, 2019 @12:02PM
(#21107786)
Carrying 9 passengers 1040 km at 440 km/h is quite a lot different than carrying 180 passengers 6150 km at 840 km/h (Airbus A320). Because batteries do not get lighter as you discharge them (fuel tanks do), simply adding more batteries gets you rapidly diminishing returns. Short range electric aircraft already exist, but transcontinental flights are likely out of reach. And if you are only traveling 1040 km, wouldn't you be better off taking a train anyway?
Re:GE, NASA Partner to advance the future of electric flight
by Already__Taken on Sunday September 29, 2019 @07:02AM
(#21106356)
Surely you can't fly with only 1 engine right on the wingtip even if it has the thrust?
Re:GE, NASA Partner to advance the future of electric flight
by pjc50 on Sunday September 29, 2019 @10:46AM
(#21107306)
It has three engines, not 1?
Re:GE, NASA Partner to advance the future of electric flight
by Already__Taken on Sunday September 29, 2019 @04:11PM
(#21109363)
Yeh but the media on it keep banging on about having redundant engines. I don't think redundancy counts when if that one the fails is a wingtip.
"This week's Paris Airshow saw the launch of the world's first commercial all-electric passenger aircraft - albeit in prototype form.
Israeli firm Eviation says the craft - called Alice - will carry nine passengers for up to 650 miles (1,040km) at 10,000ft (3,000m) at 276mph (440km/h). It is expected to enter service in 2022."
"Eviation has already received its first orders. US regional airline Cape Air, which operates a fleet of 90 aircraft, has agreed to buy a "double-digit" number of the aircraft."