• Electric Airplane for New Air Racing Series Unveiled

    From Larry Dighera@21:1/5 to All on Tue Nov 19 09:10:56 2019
    https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/aerospace/2019-11-17/electric-airplane-new-air-racing-series-unveiled

    DUBAI AIRSHOW
    AEROSPACE

    Electric Airplane for New Air Racing Series Unveiled

    by James Wynbrandt
    - November 17, 2019, 1:14 AM

    Air Race E
    Air Race E founder and CEO Jeff Zaltman revealed the electric air
    racer, supported by Sandra Bour Schaeffer and Martyn Wiseman, head of
    Team Condor.

    Air Race E, the world’s first electric air racing series, unveiled at
    the Dubai Airshow a prototype of the electric-powered aircraft set to
    be flown in the league’s inaugural race, scheduled for late 2020. A
    highly modified Cassutt formula one racer, the aircraft features Contra-Electric’s twin motor contra-rotating propeller powertrain,
    providing continuous electric power.

    The showing marks “the first time we have let anyone outside of our
    teams and partners under the hood of a race airplane to showcase some
    of the cutting-edge electric technology that will be in use during the
    series,” said Air Race E CEO and founder Jeff Zaltman.

    The races, supported by founding partner Airbus (Stand 940; Pavilion
    P10), will comprise a series of head-to-head international contests,
    with eight airplanes flying simultaneously on a 5-km circuit at
    heights as low as 10 meters (33 feet) and speeds up to 450 mph.

    Like motorsports, “It does have an inherent danger to it, so our top
    priority at all times is safety,” said Zaltman.

    A tender for the first host city is underway, with the winning
    location to be named by December, according to organizers.

    “Electrification is the enabler to decarbonize our industry,” said
    Sandra Bour Schaeffer, head of Airbus Group Demonstrators. The company
    believes that “Nurturing these race aircraft will help build up an
    ecosystem” to bring wider adoption of electrification in aviation, she
    said.

    Eight international racing teams, with strong representation from
    North America and Europe, will compete in the race series; the
    electric race aircraft on display was built by the UK’s Condor
    Aviation, one of the teams.

    The UK-based Light Aircraft Association is supporting development of
    the sport’s technical regulations as well as aircraft design
    oversight, and the league expects to receive sanctioning by the
    Formula Air Racing Association and French counterpart, the Association
    des Pilotes D’Avions de Formules, “soon.”

    AIRCRAFT
    ENGINES

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