When do we get the first 100 seater solar/electric hybrid airliner ?

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I have done some calculations for the past 1½ year for several concepts and I am convinced that we could have a 60-100 seater passenger plane flying daytime at 20 000 meters ( ~ FL700 ).

For the occasion I even invented a new ( to me ) parameter to observe this possibility in comparison to existing air breathing aeroplanes.

Anyway electric aeroplanes don't breathe air so they can fly in the thin air at very high altitude where there is very small resistance and even a plane that is slow at low can fly very fast at high altitude, albeit the IAS is low.

Here is physically nothing new...it is just the time what it takes to get to FL700 that might be a bit problematic. In addition to solarpower which can provide half of the trust at high you also need electric power in form of batteries or you can use rocket power to get to 20 000 meters.

Who has had the same/similar idea and wants to do co-operation on this field ?

Who knows how planes are pressurized ( this is a must ) ?

Oh and the best part is that it could cruise @ M 0.75 just below the trans sonic speed. :eagerness:

The latest has got 80 m span and around 1050 m2 of solar panels on top side.

This typical MARS expedition flyer ( NASA has several of these ) could easily fly at 20 000 m ( FL700 ) on solar and electric power.

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Here is another very successful looking concept ( almost ).

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This was proposed in 1944.

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Finnish company has started to produce nanocoating for solarcell which enable to absorb more sun energy into the cells...making this happen ( solar / battery flight with passengers ).

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It will be interesting to see the regulatory burden on electric aircraft.
Just as powered airlines must carry extra fuel for diversions, electric a.c. will certainly have to carry spare power with them in case their cells quit functioning.

Yes, they will need to be pressurized, the added structure will add weight .

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It will be interesting to see the regulatory burden on electric aircraft.
Just as powered airlines must carry extra fuel for diversions, electric a.c. will certainly have to carry spare power with them in case their cells quit functioning.

Yes, they will need to be pressurized, the added structure will add weight .

Yes Boyle it would have to be pressurized just like the APOLLO LEM was. I figure you need stronger hull section in the practically flying wing kinda contraption anyway and it could easily thus be made into a pressure vessel. The energy for the pressurisation would come when all on the board would be cycling at 150 watts power constantly it would then yield 200 x 150 watts = 30 kW...which is sufficient I figure.

Also noteworthy is that the 50/1 glideratio craft can glide 1000 km from an altitude of 20 ( 25 ) km easily. It can do it in the night time too...and below 3000 meters the pedallers could produce the APU power for the controls...above that it needs some battery charge.

Weight is not your enemy on this lack of faith is definitely ! Gliders weight 70 kg/m2 ( wing loading )....and 747 ( Boeing ) 550 kg/m2 which is overweight for solar aircraft surely.

I am also convinced that the craft could be moderatly supersonic above 24 km altitude...very fast at any rate..it has to be..it would not stay airborne othervise. Helios flew 7 times faster at 100 000 ft than on sea level.

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Burnelli lifting fuselage would provide lotsa area for solar panels.

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Sure, a plane flies thanks to faith, not thanks to the laws of physics.
A commercial airplane WILL be heavy. It is meant to transport stuff. Either freight of living beings. So your weight will either go to cramming as much cargo as possible in it, or having all necessary life support systems. Including pressurization and providing oxygen.

A good glide ratio doesn't cut it. As far as I know, you have to be able to get back to an airport ( with a flight time of n minutes) on one engine, maintaining level flight ! Ever heard of ETOPS (or other such regulations? )

As for the concept of "pedal of you're going down" in the case of emergency, I'm sorry but I don't think any aviation instance would even remotely accept it. Oh, and that also adds weight to your fantasy planes, btw.

May I also remind you there's a general discussion forum, and a RC planes forum, as these daydreams would be more at home there.

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15 years 2 months

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Sure, a plane flies thanks to faith, not thanks to the laws of physics.
A commercial airplane WILL be heavy. It is meant to transport stuff. Either freight of living beings. So your weight will either go to cramming as much cargo as possible in it, or having all necessary life support systems. Including pressurization and providing oxygen.

A good glide ratio doesn't cut it. As far as I know, you have to be able to get back to an airport ( with a flight time of n minutes) on one engine, maintaining level flight ! Ever heard of ETOPS (or other such regulations? )

As for the concept of "pedal of you're going down" in the case of emergency, I'm sorry but I don't think any aviation instance would even remotely accept it. Oh, and that also adds weight to your fantasy planes, btw.

May I also remind you there's a general discussion forum, and a RC planes forum, as these daydreams would be more at home there.

Frank we all know that solar powered nor muscle powered flight is fantasy. But you are right that solar powered flight is displaying figures similar to Wright flyer at the moment.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wright_Flyer

Everything is a fantasy at the beginning.

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Solar/battery powered hybrid airliner.

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Here is an another take on it with 2 x 30 kW electric engines using 2/3 battery power to get to 12 km to fly at 20% efficiency gliderlike twin boom having 72 x more power from the sun than the MIT Daedalus in the 80ies.

This 28 m spanning craft could carry 9 people on board in prone position. Panel area is 75 m2...thanks for the lifting fuselage concept.

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Sure, a plane flies thanks to faith, not thanks to the laws of physics.
A commercial airplane WILL be heavy. It is meant to transport stuff. Either freight of living beings. So your weight will either go to cramming as much cargo as possible in it, or having all necessary life support systems. Including pressurization and providing oxygen.

A good glide ratio doesn't cut it. As far as I know, you have to be able to get back to an airport ( with a flight time of n minutes) on one engine, maintaining level flight ! Ever heard of ETOPS (or other such regulations? )

As for the concept of "pedal of you're going down" in the case of emergency, I'm sorry but I don't think any aviation instance would even remotely accept it. Oh, and that also adds weight to your fantasy planes, btw.

May I also remind you there's a general discussion forum, and a RC planes forum, as these daydreams would be more at home there.

Yes pedalling is a no go.

I have now 3,3 times more solar panel area in this than in Solar Inpulse II.

I expect the electric version to climb up to 25 km and cruise at 400-550 km/h.

It is still a long way to travel from London to Perth for instance. Would sleeping quarters help it ?

There seems to be a suitable engine available ; http://www.gizmag.com/siemens-world-record-electric-motor-aircraft/37048/pictures

50 kg only. Cells weigh around 220-240 kg. Incredible.

About ETOPS; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ETOPS

I have to test it with a two engine model. I bet it is swell flyer on one engine.

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Personally, I don't see it ever happening with a commercial passenger carrying aircraft.

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Personally, I don't see it ever happening with a commercial passenger carrying aircraft.

Hi Alan !

What propulsion do we use after we run outa oil ?

Here is 1/4 scale man flying version.

See it has muscle powered aeroplane wing loading even it weighs 250 kg ( if elevator counted in ).

Even 5% efficient panels would bring a man in flight in this kite.

Blended wing / lifting fuselage is just awesome.

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Personally, I don't see it ever happening with a commercial passenger carrying aircraft.

Of course it will never happen. Best way to deal with this Walter Mitty is to ignore him and let him discuss with himself. Same thing has happened on several Finnish aviation forums, from all of which afaik he has ended up being banned.

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Of course it will never happen. Best way to deal with this Walter Mitty is to ignore him and let him discuss with himself. Same thing has happened on several Finnish aviation forums, from all of which afaik he has ended up being banned.

Yes think about it for a while !

I know we can fly with solar very effectively...as the numbers don't lie as they say.

Finny position yourself into 1902 Kittyhawk...you would have called the Wright bros idiots ! What does that make you ?

I will change my sights from a cheap small single engined plane and I will fly this twin to beat the Scottie Winton 1983 FAI altitude record ...first that is.

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Yes think about it for a while !

I know we can fly with solar very effectively...as the numbers don't lie as they say.

Finny position yourself into 1902 Kittyhawk...you would have called the Wright bros idiots ! What does that make you ?

I will change my sights from a cheap small single engined plane and I will fly this twin to beat the Scottie Winton 1983 FAI altitude record ...first that is.

I am not taking the bait. You can compare yourself with Wrights and keep on discussing with yourself.