Experimenter

NOV 2014

Experimenter is a magazine created by EAA for people who build airplanes. We will report on amateur-built aircraft as well as ultralights and other light aircraft.

Issue link: http://experimenter.epubxp.com/i/418587

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 36 of 40

EAA Experimenter 37 According to Tine Tomazic, Pipistrel's head of Re- search and Development, this electric propulsion package does not have any temperature limitations. It is designed for operating in a temperature range from -4°F to +122°F (-20°C to +50°C). On the right side of the firewall just behind the engine, an overflow bottle is located, indicating that the electric motor is liquid cooled. Most details of the compact electric motor/drivetrain are still unknown, and even several direct inquires to the Siemens headquarters in Germany haven't brought any details; so we have to wait a bit for more insight. I understand that the weight of the propulsion unit might increase from 31 to 35 pounds (14 to 16 kilograms) in an effort to lower production costs. The second crucial part of the system is the batteries, which were developed by Pipistrel. The two 17-kilowatt- hour battery packs are dual redundant and designed to be either quickly replaceable within minutes or charged in less than one hour, thanks to the next generation of Pip- istrel's battery management technology. There are two battery compartments on board; one is accessible from the right side, located just behind the firewall, while the sec- ond is accessible from the left side, behind the cabin. Both compartments are built as a protective box that is fireproof, and they are air cooled through appropriate vents installed in easy-to-open doors. Each of two 8.5-kilowatt-hour bat- tery packs consists of three single independent battery cases weighing 44 pounds (20 kilograms) each. WATTsUP's current empty weight without batteries is 573 pounds (260 kilograms). With one battery pack, it weighs 700 pounds (320 kilograms), or 830 pounds (380 kilograms) with two battery packs. Boscarol said in mid- October that the aircraft will lose some 66 pounds (30 kilograms) prior to entering production, indicating that its empty weight will drop to about 500 pounds (230 kilograms). The Siemens propulsion package weighs only 31 pounds; it's all you need under the cowling. The rear battery compartment door. At the lower end, the air intake duct is visible. In the middle of each battery is the easily readable battery status display.

Articles in this issue

Archives of this issue

view archives of Experimenter - NOV 2014