Off Topic » Commercial electric-powered aircraft article

There is an interesting illustrated 10-page article regarding the latest electric and hydrogen-powered aircraft that are currently being tested and on the drawing boards in the March/April issue of Flight Journal magazine. (Perhaps your local library subscribes to the magazine. Their website is FlightJournal.com)

What caught my eye were the following two paragraphs:

"Jet fuel has an energy density of about 12,000 watt-hours per kilogram (Wh/kg. Lithium-ion batteries have an energy density at the cell level of about 250 Wh/kg. Battery pack energy is typically 20% lower given the weight penalty for safety features.

Battery efficiency is reportedly improving at about 5-8% a year. NASA has suggested that batteries with 350-Wh/kg energy density at the pack level could be commercially ready by 2030. This would make small, short-range aircraft feasible with up to 19 seats for distances less than 250 miles. If new technology provides commercially adequate charge and charge-cycle times, electric short-range 30-seat aircraft could become feasible."

The advancement in electric vehicles over the past few years is nothing short of breath-taking. We are living in the future.

Your energy density comments go right to the core of the problem. That is the reason the expensive but when properly packaged Hydrogen might be the path for long range aircraft.

Bye the way one of my riding buddies, a former F16 pilot, is a test pilot for Beta Technologies a local builder of electric a new aircraft of the type you describe. Fun and interesting stuff.

www.beta.team