Article Posted on : - Dec 11, 2008

Electraflyer soars in the azure sky. official photo

WASHINGTON (BNS): If you are a frequent flyer and worried about your high carbon footprint, there is finally good news. A clean electric plane is no more in the realm of fantasy.

Randall Fisherman, a US-based jeweller, created a history of sorts last week when he tested his ‘green’ plane.
ElectraFlyer-C, as the experimental plane has been named, is one of the few battery-operated airplanes in the world that has been successfully tested. It has demonstrated that the future aircraft can actually run on batteries.

Apart from being clean and green, the aircraft is quiet as well. One can really talk even when the propellers are rotating. And, you don't need earplugs. The aircraft runs on 18 horsepower electric motor. The design, called the ElectraFlyer-C, started as an accident when Fisherman purchased a motorised glider kit and assembled it. It was noisy and offered almost no dependability, which landed it in storage for almost 10 years.

About two years ago, Fisherman decided to bring it out and see what he could do to improve it. The fully charged batteries are enough to fly the plane at 70 mph lasting around 90 minutes. Fisherman had bought a regular internal combustion engine plane a few years ago and replaced with the electric motor. The length of propeller blades was increased to 45 inches to give it more thrust. A pair of battery pack to hold two 75 volt lithium ion batteries was attached.

The plane has many advantages. Apart from being smokeless, it is fun flying as there is lesser number of instruments in the cockpit. The engine and fuel gauge indicators have been replaced with a voltmeter and an ammeter.

The aircraft is also maintenance free and ‘refuelling’ can be done simply by putting batteries on chargers.

After the successful test flight, Fisherman is planning to market the plane. Flying enthusiasts who operate micro-lights or gliders would certainly be interested. Aviation experts feel that the battery operated planes could be the future. The battery technology is improving rapidly and a small beginning has been made. With environment concerns looming large over the aviation industry due to carbon emissions, the future might be stored in the batteries.

It is the closest thing to a magic carpet ride ever attained, claims Fisherman on his website about the flying experience of an electric plane.