Sun ' Fun 2021-Pipistrel Electric Glider

Slovenian-based Pipistrel has been building a motorglider for more than 10 years, but now they're offering an upgraded self-launching electric version, complete with a solar charging trailer option. Here's an AVweb news brief on how the system works.

[@johngjacobi]

The intern that came up with the idea to add the text bubbles to the video deserves a full time job! You all have made great vids even better

[@wootle]

Agreed! Why more vids dont do this is puzzling!

[@yzScott]

I dream of a side-by-side electric motor-glider to cross-country with my wife. This looks really good. With the incredible R&D happening with batteries happening these days, this might go from "good" to "irresistible" in not many years. It is workable already. With double the battery and regen capability, it would be pretty low stress touring.

[@MrWATCHthisWAY]

I like free power$ plug & play and with the 40-1 glide ratio along with some excellent thermals you can be up for as long as your bladder can hold out for. Looks like Sun & Fun was the place to be this past week.

[@kaigongfu]

why not hockey shorts and a diaper ?

[@kaigongfu]

Great Machine, one of 5 planes i want to try. I was once told by a CFI. FBO owner, the powered glider was the worst of both planes, but think this is a game changer. 40:1 glide and power on board, LIKE it.

[@electrocatalyst]

This is awesome. 100% free to operate, 100% eco. Would be also great if it could somehow at least partially recharge in the air when gliding.

[@prestonmiller9552]

Now this would be an electric vehicle I could support. Eliminates the tow plane and the ground crew. You can essentially go up any time you like (weather permitting of course) and not have to find a tow pilot and a ground crew. Fantastic. But at what cost?

[@drister007]

You should support every electric vehicle, cars, trucks, trains, busses, you name it! :)

[@denysxenyev3929]

Very simple and very cool system (glider + trailer).

[@PaulAnthonyDuttonUk]

Not an advocate of electric yet!.. Yet this is probably one of the few applications that does what it says on the tin.

[@maxflight777]

Exciting times !

[@JimiJo]

Want one!

[@Mrsournotes]

Very cool!

[@Tkcrypto1]

Thats cool. I want one

[@ivang.martinezmorales9341]

I would add 2 additional meters, up to 17 meter wingspan.

[@DanFrederiksen]

40:1 is very neat. More powered planes should strive for high glide numbers. Really matters in an engine out situation and fuel consumption

[@kids123123123]

Gimli glider manager 12:1; I always thought that was pretty good, considering the thing weighed a bazillion pounds.

[@DanFrederiksen]

@@kids123123123 weight is actually not critical, surprisingly enough. And typical modern airliner can be 17:1. The SEA Avio Risen is 23:1 iirc and doesn't look like a glider. It's just that people have too long tolerated cessna junk with 9:1. The other day I learned that an otherwise aerodynamic looking Lance is only around 7:1. For engine out, that's actually really really bad compared to what it could be. That's a life and death difference

[@TheSoaringChannel]

My Airbus A320 is 23:1 at 25,000' at best L/D. That's with the engines idling so not too bad. 40:1 isn't good. Especially when you consider the speed it's achieved... 47 knots. Have fun growing a beard while you try to go somewhere.

[@DanFrederiksen]

@@TheSoaringChannel that's faulty logic. You assume good glide has to be slow while you just mentioned a passenger jet more than double as good as a cirrus sr22. You just need engine and altitude and wings sized for the speed.

[@denvera1g1]

I wonder how long it will be before high efficiency solar is integrated into the upward facing surface of the wings body and tail, i know on a craft like this you're only getting ~1200w/h but thats better than nothing, maybe instead of 9000 feet, its 10000 feet

[@richardfox6703]

How much does it cost? Oh, if I have to ask..I can't afford it.. maybe, but enquiring minds still want to know. :)

[@Aviator27J]

Does look cool but I know that decent non-motor gliders can still be pricey so...

[@TheNeimster]

$25k will get you a well equipped used single seater including trailer with no motor which will match the Taurus in glide performance, like a Pegase, Std. Cirrus, or DG-100. (Having flown against one in a 35:1 glider, I think 40 for the Taurus is optimistic, but not misleading). Something like 8x the price tag for the second seat and freedom to launch almost anywhere at any time is worthwhile for some.

[@Walterwaltraud]

Loving it. No recuperating I suppose?

[@bleughbloop8569]

Why would you recuperate though? You would need to be in a situation where you want your glider to be lower and the 40% energy (pulled that one out my arse) you lose putting it back in to battery storage would have to be less than the energy lost just going fast and bleeding more energy off as drag over the same distance Seems like it might be a pretty niche requirement...

[@Walterwaltraud]

@@bleughbloop8569 the velis does it, extends pattern work by 15%. Here it would merely accelerate descent due to drag and shorten the charging times.

[@loddude5706]

Can the prop become a RAT & charge up naughty 'flatness' during descents?

Or you could add solar cells on the wings and recharge the batteries

[@skyeparker5822]

No hanger no fuel no engine maintenance. Wow.

[@kaigongfu]

Great sales points Skye.

[@robertbetancourt1386]

couldthis be used as Civil Air Patrol glider? Who canI contact in California?

[@grabir01]

Million bucks..

[@williamallen6189]

What...... no regenerative charging. For the "motor".

[@skyeparker5822]

Is it legal to land this at a regular airport?

[@zachv1942]

Yes. As long as you can request to take off and land properly. Now also certain airports will not alow you to land like jfk lax ect. Stay at small airports.

[@tjarsun]

Does the battery last for 2 takeoffs? It would be nice for a trip to be able to not depend on infrastructure for the coming back flight.

[@fifi23o5]

It has ability to climb to 9000 ft combined. So, if you need to climb to 3000 ft, you can easily perform another take-off with energy to spare. I hope this helps.

[@bikerboy3k]

Wonder if it will be legal here in Europe and what will be the final price

[@JohannAnders]

The taurus has been offered in europe since 2007.

[@altergreenhorn]

Pipistrel is made in EU

[@MikeKobb]

Very cool! The gentleman seemed concerned with having anyone near the plane during the retract/extend cycle. I wonder why.

[@kids123123123]

Just being prudent. I doubt there is any safety interlock, so if you were dumb enough to stick your hand in there, it'd hurt real bad. Plus that dude's first hand-start was probably fifty years ago, so it's second nature for him to keep everyone away from a moving prop.

[@yaboi-km2qn]

because it's a propeller. why would you get close to it?

[@MikeKobb]

@@yaboi-km2qn The propeller is behind the wing. The guys he was waving off (2:58) were in front of the wing. They would have had to literally climb over the wing to be close to the propeller.

[@theMekanik]

Kan I just get the Kilowatt of the Motor & AMP Hour of the Battery Pack…….

[@spinnetti]

I like the concept. Why water ballast - why not put a few batteries in the nose instead? BTW electric is not an "engine", its a "motor".. if you are selling these, you ought to know the difference.

[@noelwade]

Water is way more adjustable. This ballast is for tweaking the CG based on the weight of pilot and/or passenger, so its good to be able to add or remove just a few pounds to get the CG exactly where you want it.

[@PaulAnthonyDuttonUk]

A motor is an engine. Anything that converts power into movement is an engine. Instead of combustion you have a magnetic field yet you still get work at the end.

[@andresznidar]

An electric engine includes the motor, the inverter and all the accessories. A motor by itself can't do much.

[@wgmskiing]

The Taurus Electro has definitely been around longer than two years....

[@asquare9316]

I think he says 10 years in the video

[@daniellery2424]

It has an electric version since 2007... this guy has to study more the product

[@soaruk3697]

@@daniellery2424 G2 version been around about two years, but yes amazing how many 'salesmen' know diddly squat about the product they are pushing.....

[@Stubby0266]

Integrate solar panels to recharge while gliding.