Flying Electric
Are Electric Planes The Future Of The Aviation Industry?
The modern aviation industry is waiting for the next technological revolution. The transition from gasoline engines to electric motors. The change is important not only for the aircraft manufacturers and their customers, but also for the entire economy and the ecological environment. And the quality of life. Because an aircraft that is powered by electricity is economical in operating costs, neither noisy nor polluting. But is the revolution already on the way? Will electric planes be seen in the air in the near future? There are many countries that have delved into aviation. Of course there are british engineered aerospace components that contribute to magnificent planes. Today, we have the possibility of things going electric.
The benefits of an electric plane
Aircraft with electric motors are a perfect solution to the problem of air and water pollution in the age of climate change. Aircraft manufacturers are under tremendous pressure to limit carbon emissions and many of them believe that the aviation industry will be based on electric energy.
The move to electric motors will not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but also solve a variety of other problems. For example, electric planes may reduce the intensity of the noise in local areas. In addition to affecting the quality of life, the noise created by the planes passing at low altitudes over the settlements, harms the trade and tourism industry. It also lowers the value of real estate in the areas near the airports. Also, the development of electric motors should lead to a reduction in the operating costs of the aircraft. Already today there are airlines that use aircraft with electric motors in air crew training. According to Aspen Hobby, CEO of Aviation OSM, the operating costs of an electric flight trainer facility are 78% lower than the maintenance cost of a conventional flight training facility.
Electric plane – how it all started
The idea of an electric plane is not new. As early as 1973, the first manned electric aircraft took to the air – a glider converted into an aircraft with an electric motor called the Militky MB-E1. The plane reached an altitude of 300 meters in a flight of 14 minutes. In 1884, a pair of pilots Charles Bernard and Arthur Constantine Krebs flew the balloon-type electric aircraft over 8 miles. A private plane powered by electricity was first flown in 2007. In 2015, a bolder attempt was made: an Airbus E-Fan electric plane took off from Lydd in the UK and landed in Calais, France. Another example of the progress of the development of electric aircraft is the Pipistrel Alpha Electro aircraft.
Are electric planes the future of aviation?
The dream of making an electric aircraft a popular aircraft in any fleet of aircraft will probably not come true in the near future. The main obstacle is technology. To make an electric plane efficient and easy, engineers need to find the right balance between battery weight and the amount of power needed to fly. Today, even the most advanced electric planes fail to provide a response to this demand.
