Electric Airplane Ready For Production 239
MrSeb writes with news about a production ready electric-hybrid airplane. From the article: "... The four-passenger carbon fiber aircraft isn't really an electric plane but more of a plug-in hybrid plane, much like the Chevrolet Volt. Whatever it is, the Volta Volare aeronautics company of Portland, Oregon says the plane can travel 300 miles on battery power, then a 1.5-liter gasoline engine engages and extends the plane's range to 1,000 miles. The company sees the plane being attractive for its low cost of operation and its environmental friendliness. Aviation gasoline is typically leaded fuel, which has been gone from motor vehicle fuel since the 1980s. On a 200-mile trip in a comparable four-passenger gas-engine private plane, you'd burn $80 worth of avgas, while the electricity to carry the GT4 200 miles would cost only $20 — nice savings, but perhaps a little inconsequential when the plane itself is expected to cost around $500,000. Testing begins this spring on the Volta Volare GT4."
If you're going to crash (Score:5, Funny)
Do you have to divert power from life support?
Re:Solar (Score:5, Funny)
How about having the prop double as a wind turbine? Then you could fly forever. I'm always telling people about how we could just mount turbines on the roofs of cars and power the engine; they're inevitably enthusiastic about this idea. /sarcasm
Re:Annuals (Score:5, Funny)
No, hanger. He puts his plane in his closet next to his other clothes.
Re:Annuals (Score:5, Funny)
How did you figure that out? Are you a plane/clothes detective?
Re:If you're going to crash (Score:4, Funny)
I'm holding out for the model with the beam-core antimatter engine. Antimatter is very expensive, but a little goes a long way.
Re:If you're going to crash (Score:5, Funny)