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Fishman Electrifies The LSA World

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By R.T. BYRUM Highlands Today Correspondent

Published: January 18, 2009

SEBRING - Randall Fishman's Electric Aircraft Corp. has literally and figuratively electrified the experimental and light sport flying class.

More than 35 years ago, a television program on hang gliding ignited his love of flying. Reading all that he could find on the subject, he was soon into hang gliders and powered ultra lights.

There was one thing about powered aircraft that took away from his joy of soaring through the air like a bird - that noisy, vibrating, smoky, smelly engine. That's when the idea of a man-carrying electric aircraft began to form.

What if a pilot had only to flip a switch to have instant power? What if the propulsion system required practically no maintenance? And what if the cost of a few hours of battery charging replaced the price of aviation fuel?

Back before his retiring as a jeweler, the technology for launching Fishman's dream did not exist, but it was coming closer to a reality. Motors were becoming lighter, more powerful and more efficient. Batteries were being developed with greater capacity and longer life. Lighter and stronger framing stock became available.
Fishman teamed up with engineer Irwin Rodgers to design a trike suspended beneath a Stratus delta wing that would be the right weight and balance to accept the 18-horsepower, low RPM, high torque motor. Lithium ion polymer batteries, a customized controller, and a 53-inch direct drive (or a 63-inch with reduction drive) propeller completed the propulsion package. It was all that was needed to give the 247-pound Part 103 ultra light and its pilot the freedom of flight.

The weather at the previous expo dampened a lot of the demo flights, including that of the Electraflyer. Nevertheless, public interest was high and the unique trike and its sister, a demo version of a mono-winged airplane, drew crowds to the booth.

Common questions were: What duration of flight time can you expect from a full charge? What if you run out of battery power? How much does it cost to charge the pack? How many recharging cycles will a battery pack take?

According to Fishman, depending on the size battery pack, flight time can range from one to two hours. Combining soaring with powered flight, the Electraflyer mono-wing has stayed aloft for up to five hours. The controller is a volt and amp meter that acts the same as a fuel gauge in a piston engine aircraft. When the needles reach a certain level, it's time to recharge. While soaring, the freewheeling propeller can be used to regenerate the batteries as well.

Thanks to a high glide ratio, loss of power still gives the pilot time to find a space to put down. As for the cost, the 220-volt charger tops off the pack in only two hours, and the 110-volt charger in four hours. The tab is about 60 cents. Figuring that the single seater airplane can travel at speeds up to 90 mph and stay aloft for up to 90 minutes...you do the math.

As for battery life, if guidelines are followed, an Electraflyer owner may expect anywhere from 800 to 1,000 flights. That could add up to as much as 10 years of flying. To check out more facts, including pricing and advantages, go to www.electraflyer.com.

What's next? Fishman's company is working on a 50-horsepower motor, and is developing a 100 hp version. More power means greater carrying capacity to handle the weight of larger battery packs and multiple passengers.

One thing is for sure, Electraflyer has plugged into the age of energy efficient electric aircraft.

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