Isn't it about time Reno introduced an electric class

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Isn't it about time Reno introduced an electric class

Reno may be done but we're still hard at work.
I worked on the black splotches
[ATTACH=CONFIG]26128[/ATTACH]
And there is a video (with sound) floating around the Electric Falcon FB page.

One of the other teams is expecting first flight soon, which is also exciting.

OMG, they forgot to cover the flux capacitor!

[Colbourne]

Re: Isn't it about time Reno introduced an electric class

"An electric plane made by Rolls-Royce has "smashed" a world record by reaching "incredible speeds".

Battery powered plane 'Spirit of Innovation' broke the fastest all-electric flight world record, reaching a top speed of 345.4mph - way above the existing record of 132mph."

During the flight runs, the aircraft clocked up a top speed of 387.4mph.

https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/news/business/electric-rolls-royce-plane-smashes-6230724?fbclid=IwAR09qM_9mEW6Wlvy3-_nWuc5a1SgZiDlvEc7B9F0FEOyFI6ttKL6MJSo4Dw

[Plane Nuts]

Re: Isn't it about time Reno introduced an electric class

Obviously an NXT airframe. I had to do some digging to find where RR ID'd the airframe. I guess the Brits don't want to say they used a Yank airframe. They did pick the right airframe to go fast. Nothing against the Brits. A great accomplishment.

https://www.rolls-royce.com/~/media/Files/R/Rolls-Royce/documents/innovation/spirit-of-innovation-factsheet.pdf

[wadeh]

Re: Isn't it about time Reno introduced an electric class

This is really cool.

I was reviewing the news feed on my phone a couple of days ago, and was surprised to see a picture of an NXT right there. It was this article.

I assume that the sport class at Reno requires a piston powered aircraft, otherwise this could be a competitive airplane there - assuming that it could manage the run time needed to complete the race safely at the power levels required.

[Colbourne]

Re: Isn't it about time Reno introduced an electric class

https://robbreport.com/motors/aviation/rolls-royce-electric-plane-worlds-fastest-ev-1234649286/

This article has a video with some shots from the flight
of "RR Spirit of Innovation"

[Colbourne]

Re: Isn't it about time Reno introduced an electric class

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-derbyshire-60068786

An all-electric aircraft built by Rolls-Royce has broken two world speed records.

In November 2021, The Spirit of Innovation hit an average of 555.9 km/h (345.4 mph) over 3 km, and 532.1km/h (330 mph) over 15 km.

Both attempts, which took place at an experimental testing site, have now been verified as records by the World Air Sports Federation.
The aircraft's average speed over 3 km broke the existing record by 213.04 km/h (132 mph).The 15 kilometres speed was 292.8 km/h (182 mph) faster than the previous record.A third record attempt, for the fastest climb to 3,000m, reached in 202 seconds, is still going through the verification process. If approved, it will break the current record by 60 seconds. Maximum speed reached was 387.4 mph (623 km/h) .

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Isn't it about time Reno introduced an electric class

Jon will chime in if I'm wrong (I hope) but pretty sure that's an NXT airframe holding that electric powerplant!!

[Plane Nuts]

Re: Isn't it about time Reno introduced an electric class

Yes it is.

https://www.rolls-royce.com/~/media/Files/R/Rolls-Royce/documents/innovation/spirit-of-innovation-factsheet.pdf

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Isn't it about time Reno introduced an electric class

Ultimately, unless we (mankind) harness solar power in a big way, the electric movement is going to hit major roadblocks. Not to mention that we already have taxed our hydro capability by over use to supply probably unstainable growth (I'm here right now so I'll use Vegas as an example). Lake Meade is amazingly low, a huge amount of the power needed to run southern California and elsewhere comes from that dam's powerplants.

Totally not ranting here but I read a page by one of the Lavara brothers (I believe they used to come here) on facebook. The guy is an absolute stats wizzard! He did a study of the power use of his totally electric car and extrapolated the usage based on desired levels of all electric vehicles.. WARNING WARNING.. there probably isn't enough available supply to support the demand.

As far as I can see, environmentally, solar is pretty much zero impact. Being down here in Vegas and seeing how many days are sunny, even in winter, and being accosted in a big box store by a solar guy who very quickly told me I could install a system at zero cost to me right now.

Driving across the desert to get here, we saw some large scale solar operations... Impressive! An absolute boatload of totally useless to mankind desert across this planet.. What was it they said during the intro to the Six Million Dollar Man.. "we have the technology, we can make it better than before"

Imagine if there was a way to make the skin of an electric airplane a big solar gathering platform..

[knot4u]

Re: Isn't it about time Reno introduced an electric class

Ultimately, unless we (mankind) harness solar power in a big way, the electric movement is going to hit major roadblocks. Not to mention that we already have taxed our hydro capability by over use to supply probably unstainable growth (I'm here right now so I'll use Vegas as an example). Lake Meade is amazingly low, a huge amount of the power needed to run southern California and elsewhere comes from that dam's powerplants.

Totally not ranting here but I read a page by one of the Lavara brothers (I believe they used to come here) on facebook. The guy is an absolute stats wizzard! He did a study of the power use of his totally electric car and extrapolated the usage based on desired levels of all electric vehicles.. WARNING WARNING.. there probably isn't enough available supply to support the demand.

As far as I can see, environmentally, solar is pretty much zero impact. Being down here in Vegas and seeing how many days are sunny, even in winter, and being accosted in a big box store by a solar guy who very quickly told me I could install a system at zero cost to me right now.

Driving across the desert to get here, we saw some large scale solar operations... Impressive! An absolute boatload of totally useless to mankind desert across this planet.. What was it they said during the intro to the Six Million Dollar Man.. "we have the technology, we can make it better than before"

Imagine if there was a way to make the skin of an electric airplane a big solar gathering platform..

I think that we found a source of clean energy decades ago and it had some teething problems in the beginning, and a couple of bombs were dropped that ended WWII, so it's a dirty word. Nuclear power.

[Colbourne]

Re: Isn't it about time Reno introduced an electric class

https://newatlas.com/aircraft/joby-evtol-speed-flight-test/?utm_source=New+Atlas+Subscribers&utm_campaign=1387e1ccbf-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2022_01_24_11_53&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_65b67362bd-1387e1ccbf-90223594

An alternative electric aircraft :-

Joby S4 hits 205 mph, flying further and faster than any eVTOL to date

[CubersWrist]

Re: Isn't it about time Reno introduced an electric class

The problem with solar panels is efficiency. For a lot of weight and complexity you do get some electricity. But it just isn't enough to make it all worth while (yet).

The first problem is to use solar panels you either need constant, uninterrupted light to be constantly generating power or you need to have the panels go to a battery which then feeds the motor and systems. Maybe the battery can be smaller than a full electric, but you are now rather than just paying the single penalty of the weight of batteries now you are paying the additional substantial weight penalty of integrating solar panels. This all gets better as solar panel efficiency continues to improve but people have been saying that for a long time.

Also solar panels are not free (either in terms of money or environmental costs). This has become an issue with wind turbines as well.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelshellenberger/2021/06/21/why-everything-they-said-about-solar---including-that-its-clean-and-cheap---was-wrong/?sh=2b88062f5fe5

[N22252]

Re: Isn't it about time Reno introduced an electric class

Jon will chime in if I'm wrong (I hope) but pretty sure that's an NXT airframe holding that electric powerplant!!

Sorry to veer off topic for a moment, but what ever became of the French, diesel powered NXT, Big Frog, that raced early in the week at Reno 2011? As I remember it was badly damaged in an off-field landing sometime later. Does it still exist, and if so, is it being rebuilt?

[CubersWrist]

Re: Isn't it about time Reno introduced an electric class

Sorry to veer off topic for a moment, but what ever became of the French, diesel powered NXT, Big Frog, that raced early in the week at Reno 2011? As I remember it was badly damaged in an off-field landing sometime later. Does it still exist, and if so, is it being rebuilt?

Big Frog was turned into "Ion Bird" a test stand for the Rolls Royce Project.

https://www.kitplanes.com/nxt-next/