Pipistrel Alpha Electro fully electric airplane

[@gardreropa]

My favourite youtuber testing an electric plane built in my country (not far from my place)... A dream come through!

[@gewiener]

Another major advantage, not mentioned in the video, is the much easier operation compared to a conventional engine airplane. You don't have to care about complex startup procedures, fuel pumps, ignition circuits, mixture, manifold preassure, temperatures, etc.

[@svesom]

Christoph Hopfner And that is Safety Feature for Flight!

[@esenel92]

at 6:40 you can see Bjorn's gears turning.. "hey, but if you can't run it down to 0 you can't really fast-charge efficiently and just run it between 0 and 80%" ;) Pipistrel is making some seriously great aircraft. Taking the best from gliders and traditional small aircraft and combining it into an insane package. I had the pleasure of flying some of their aircraft, and I remember flying the Sinus and realizing that in cruise it was using less fuel per km than my car. Generally they have good gliding characteristics as well which kinda makes me wonder if you'd be able to charge the battery in a meaningful amount while flying in thermals or ridge lift, or if the drag will be too severe for that. Good to see the electric model is actually being bought and used in several places around the world. it's a great trainer, but I bet that ICE pilots will have to get used to the throttle response while adjusting power on approach ;)

[@luisfernandes4145]

esenel92, don't forget about the Pipistrel Panthera, a 4 seater, they are also developing an electric version.

[@esenel92]

Nice :)

[@dcvariousvids8082]

That's pretty cool! And such low running costs compared to small ICEd comparable planes. A leap into the future!

[@ahowedaddy]

Very cool stuff. Bjorn, you da man for covering it in such an awesome way!

[@LenzGrimmer]

So the petrol version uses 16 liters of AVGAS per hour. According to Wikipedia, it has an energy density of 8775 Wh per liter - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_density If I got my math right (16 l * 8775 Wh/l = 140400 Wh = 140.4 kWh), this would be 140.4 kWh per hour, versus an energy consumption of 15 kWh per hour for the electric version? So it's not only ten-fold the price, but also almost ten times less efficient?

[@imho7250]

If it has a propeller brake I bet it has a pretty good glide ratio from the look of the wings. I don’t think you can do any soaring in it but it will definitely give you more choices of landing in the event of power failure.

[@esenel92]

I think it was the Pipistrel Sinus I got to fly in once that had about the glide ratio of an ASK13 which was pretty reasonable. we were able to use it as a glider just fine. So I guess this thing can probably pull it off too although it probably won't perform as good.

[@imho7250]

esenel92, the ASK13 has a glide ratio of 27:1 and the Alpha has a 15:1 and Cessna 152 about 10:1. I think if the Alpha has propeller regen it can get the glide ratio down to about what a normal plan will do. I did a few glider flights just to add some experience. An Apache 160 on one engine at gross on a hot day has about the same glide ratio as a good German glider. LOL The Pipistrel looks like it would be fun to fly a stripped down version strictly VFR stick and rudder with only basic instruments. I was able to get some time in some old tail-draggers and and it really helped me get back to the basics of flying which I has missed during most of my training. I already had my private pilot’s license before I knew how to actually fly, if you know what I mean.

[@esenel92]

That moment you have your license.. is when you really start to learn how to fly as far as I'm concerned.. It's a good idea to get some experience on a glider. I started with gliders and moved up from there. The glide performance of those high end models keeps amazing me.

[@imho7250]

esenel92, the glider I flew wasn’t one of the modern high performance versions, and we just did ground tows, so it wasn’t such a long flight, but it gives you time to relax and learn the plane flies just fine when the engine quits if there is no engine. I tried to fly anything I could, including a few helicopters.

[@Walterwaltraud]

@@imho7250 so where did you happen to fly that Apache 160 out of, 1K1 perhaps ;-)? (looks like we might have a partially similar aviation biography...)

[@P1iMaster]

Wow Bjørn, this is incredible interesting. Get going and THX for the report.

[@gwgplate2]

Have the same plane here at Jandakot airport in Perth Australia for training👍😎

[@gwgplate2]

FutureSystem738 was a generic we more details on this link electro.aero/index.php/en/ contact and other details.

[@jrherita]

Very cool video! -- 21kwh / 60kw are pretty close to 1st gen Leaf specs -- interesting that's plenty to fly..

[@MrConor159]

jrherita except those batteries looked tiny

[@MsSomeonenew]

Well there is a balance of power vs weight, going heavier takes more and more power to keep in the air.

[@kentwilliams4152]

Also the reliability would be outstanding and there would be no overhaul requirements except for a bearing replacement.

[@johncarr123]

Can you do some real-world flights maybe a short cross country? Really love this plane. Are you coming to Oshkosh this year?

[@RossYoungblood]

Great timing Bjorn. I had to sell my airplane today :(. Might buy an electric layer.

[@tonylamonte]

Where is part 2 ?

[@LenzGrimmer]

"Is Norway's first electric plane" makes it sound as if it's built in Norway. However, Pipistrel is based in Slovenia (as you correctly point out in the video).

[@AndrejGobec]

And pronounce it very well!! Also, the motor is made in Slovenia by Emrax.

[@experimental_av]

Probably not even that, there are tons of electric glider planes, lots of them able to self start.

[@AndrejGobec]

Copy name -> Google Maps -> Paste -> Enter If this is too much for most people, we don't need them to know ...

[@experimental_av]

because there is no Czechoslovenia anymore?

[@experimental_av]

Zicep Yjarik lol

[@marjanbatic2913]

Woooohhooooo,plane produced in my small country slovenia :)

[@libertymurf281]

Great video & info Bjorn, Thank You✌

[@colla555]

Did they also offer you a flight? Is there a video of it and will you show us?

[@AgentStofftier]

Very interesting! Looking forward to part two!

[@frosto7]

Norway have the intention to be the first to use electrical planes on a substantial scale on commercial routes. In a few years small planes should be available suitable for the initially most relevant short-runway district network in Norway. Ii.e. planes with 20ish or more seats and suitable range vs 2 slim people with tiny luggage and ~1hr net range for this one. They will be adopted as soon as it is practically possible and it won't require too scary amounts of subsidies. This Pipistrel was bought primarily as a way to familiarize the Airport Authority (AVINOR) and other relevant organizations+people with all aspects of small(ish) electric airplanes in preparation for this.

[@jdavison8551]

As always, very interesting and fact filled content, well presented, filmed and edited. Many thanks. Hope you will follow up in future with improved range such aircraft?

[@constructioneerful]

Same price! I thought you’d have to wait, like, ten years for the price of electric planes to come down to same price as other planes. Amazing.

[@luisfernandes4145]

I know it for more than 2 years, but it's good to talk about it!

[@ermining1]

Hi Bjorn. I wanted to send you a message but not to sure how to on youtube. I remembered you said you checked comments before posting them, I know its off topic but I figured you could just not publish it. Anyway I work at sea and im looking into setting a 0 per cent co2 fishing company (line caught and diving). This being done via eletric and sail power (including for transport of produce and crew). I wondered if you had any pointers as to which way to go in terms of electric boat engins, if you had ever tested any or planned to... Thanks for your time. And thanks for the good work im a big fan of your videos!

[@waynerussell6401]

www.siemens.com/innovation/en/home/pictures-of-the-future/mobility-and-motors/electric-mobility-cutting-emissions-with-electric-fishing-boat.html

[@DirtNerds]

does the engine turne an alternator or can charge the battery it's self?

[@peterjorgensen3]

No, alternator sucks power as the motor turns it. The more the alternator charges the more power the motor needs to keep moving. That's why EVs don't have alternators. It's a waste of energy to convert electricity to motion then back, because some is lost to heat.

[@niklasorheim8699]

You messed a bit up here... Helge is the one to the left, Einar is to the right in start of video :)

[@bjornnyland]

Oh, my bad.

[@calder79]

Did you ask them how much they put aside for new batteries per flight hour? I believe these are limited in lifetime as they are normally charged to 100%, but haven’t gotten a reply from Pipistrel yet...

[@vask92]

Watched the whole thing, pretty interesting.

[@AgentSmith911]

Now we just need fast charging at the airports! 😊

[@larsburman4979]

Can it reverse rotation of the motor or change the pitch on the propeller to go backwards on The ground?

[@esunisen3862]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/nanLc3xsgKhghZo It has fixed pitch.

[@larsburman4979]

No joke from me: if it can reverse on ground, then it is so easy to go backwards out of a hangar or if it is parked nose in somewhere. I do not talk about flying backwards!

[@MsSomeonenew]

Spinning up in a hangar is just a really really horrid idea...

[@svesom]

Lars Burman You're Thoughts are not so silly. There is an Aircraft with electric Motor, that can do this. And it has his advantages. But it is another Class.

[@spookytook]

this is the first electric plane?

[@netgeek3010]

Solid state batteries will more then double the battery charge density to over 40 kWh to possibly over 50 kWh.

[@larsburman4979]

How about 0-100 km/h?

[@olag1981]

You have mixed the names of the two guys. Helge Storflor is to the left.

[@bjornnyland]

Sorry, my bad.

[@vidpetelin3747]

Greetings from Slovenia!

[@alconaft4343]

Bjorn, could you ask them if people can fly it for money? My dream...

[@vidpetrovic8907]

In Slovenia we are flying with electric planes, but we have basically no EVS, so yeah, thats a little but weird, but thats the logic in Slovenija...

[@colincampbell3679]

I think it is a cool plane indeed.. a couple of idea's for them to better it more? 1 > have fully retracting landing gear.. air flow and drag are all for a electric vehicle .. and for a aircraft the smooth air flow and minimal drag are even more important.. 2 > have a small turbine under the aircraft to help charge the plane as it either sits on the runway or flying.. Yes it has the clever main propeller can windmill on the ground but if it has to be stopped with a brake for safety reasons then a small one under the plane or above the cockpit on the middle of the winds would be away from anyone and still charge the batteries? Next step the big airliner size planes.. :)

[@Walterwaltraud]

Retractable gear makes no sense for this mission plus economics, the other ideas you pitched are being worked on, by fuel cell for transport aircraft (powered by the APU), hybrid propulsion is in the research for mid ranged mid sized aircraft.

[@eDriver]

great... electric transportation comes everywhere, not only on earth, also up in the air. Let's see, when battery capacity is that big, that it can power an airliner for hours...

[@MsSomeonenew]

Well right now the airliner would need to be completely without luggage to make up the extra weight, but it would work. And if solid state batteries actually manage to be 2.5x the current density this might make electric airliners nearly on the same level, at least on shorter routes.

[@fkg7h]

Amazing! Want it!

[@Praudas]

this is amazing

[@hellhound3713]

Way cool. But, they should put solar panels on the wings. I hope this is the start of something big in aerospace.

[@waynerussell6401]

electrek.co/2018/06/20/this-32kw-plane-will-fly-twice-as-high-as-commercial-jets-on-sunpower/

[@MsSomeonenew]

The airplane has 1.5 hours of flight time, so you aren't getting much with solar panels in that time frame.

[@bestofblocket]

What a cliffhanger!

[@PhillProbst]

So, you didn’t actually take a demo flight? WTF!?

[@bjornnyland]

+Phillip Probst So, you didn't actually watch all my videos? WTF!? kzbin.info/www/bejne/rJjHm2x-pcmtrKs

[@HansMilling]

What, no flying, what a cliff hanger...

[@colmf1665]

Why not do a hybrid

[@AndrejGobec]

Why??

[@colmf1665]

Andrej Gobec more range, double safety

[@AndrejGobec]

Hybrid doesn't work that way. It would possibly help you on takeoff, but in the air you're just hauling extra weight that doesn't help at all. Hybrid system helps you take the edge off - which are situations when you need peak performance. So short bursts of acceleration. Plane engine rarely changes power output. So hybrid system wouldn't work in a plane in my opinion.

[@LenzGrimmer]

Weight?

[@bjornnyland]

It already has the same level of safety as fossil plane. You did watch the video before you commented, right?

[@colmf1665]

If nothing else it would be a lot quieter

[@heydarmussavi]

I love to own one so I fly to work every day instead of 40 min drive one way

[@esunisen3862]

4:29 Hæ ?!

[@aminazab]

this is future

[@TO-xd1fb]

Bjorn can’t wait to see your future video arround SpaceX in USA and have a future video for the Space and see the Rocket Technology from the new Roadster 2020 they are planing to offer soon🙏🏼😇😪 Pls have a visit in SpaceX Technology Center in USA and show us more what CEO Elon Musk Company is doing for Satellite & Space 🙏🏼😇😪😪

[@ballballballballballball]

Wow

[@Tobse1556]

Maybe a next Projekt for Elon. 😏

[@imho7250]

You can pick up a nice used Cessna 152 IFR for quite a bit less. Even with the higher operating cost, at least you can fly cross country, and you can buy it, fly it 1000 hrs, and sell it for less than you can buy the electric plane, fly it around the patch for 1000 hours, and sell it. To keep the plane flying non-stop requires 3 sets of batteries and 2 sets of chargers, and that is super expensive.

[@TheSOHO92]

IMHO totally agree on the prospect of owning one personally. But there’s an argument to be made in running cost for a flight school. That allows you to start learning for less.

[@imho7250]

TheSOHO92, yes, the operating cost, excluding the payment and insurance, is super cheap, but what I haven’t seen are the actual prices a flight school will charge for using this, which includes all cost. And in the US it won’t have such an advantage because our fuel is cheaper. I almost went into shock when I see what some schools are charging now, and many use a 172 for basic training because the student and instructor ate at McDonald’s too many times. I was lucky all my private and instrument training was done in small 2-seaters, mostly Cessna 150/152 and at very reasonable rates around $30/hr wet.

[@kentyee5333]

IMHO well, everything new has to start somewhere. I liked the idea that maintenance is so much easy and cheaper.

[@davepermen]

yet, as we saw with EVs, too, prices will fall over time. this is a great start.

[@benkennedy6547]

This plane is the original Roadster of planes. Proof of concept and exploration of the advantages. Give it time

[@paulkazjack]

Give me electric anyday!

[@mynickname9]

Bjørn can you please introduce your companion before talking to him? Of course you make subtitles in this video so we can see his name, but it looks so awkward when you start taking with people without presenting them to your viewers. Btw video is great. Just casual complaining about not important things :)

[@bjornnyland]

ABC

[@jihada.5288]

Thought this was supposed to be a toy plane

[@colla555]

I'm sorry I have to laugh, but Pipistrel just sounds too similar to Pippistrahl, which means something like peebeam. But besides that, cool product!

[@pumpuppthevolume]

damn fossil planes ....too loud :P jk