Electric planes

[SalisburySam]

Hmm, I think passengers would flock to H2 powered aircraft if the interior was more like this hydrogen based air travel cabin:

Only those who haven’t read or heard of the Hindenburg. I for one will not be part of that flock.

 

[SmartElectric]

Only those who haven’t read or heard of the Hindenburg. I for one will not be part of that flock.

Romance is dead...

 

[GlmnAlyAirCar]

ETOPS stands for Extended Twin Operations and there is nothing extended about operating all-electric aircraft.

I thought it was "Engines Turning or People Swimming"

 

[daniel]

...and even more daunting to convince paying passengers to get near one.

Just don't tell them.

Hmm, I think passengers would flock to H2 powered aircraft if the interior was more like this hydrogen based air travel cabin:

I would love to travel on a dirigible. If there was any place I wanted to travel to. You don't have to fill them with hydrogen anymore. And it wasn't the hydrogen that caused the problem. It was the flammable coating on the fabric gas bag. And most of the deaths were people who jumped. People who remained in the cabin were mostly okay. Or at least that's what I've read.

They don't sell tickets on the Goodyear Blimp. Occasionally there are charity auctions for a blimp ride, but they go for huge sums.

Blimps and dirigibles are extremely safe nowadays, but I don't know if there is enough helium to fill enough dirigibles to replace the jetliner fleet.

 

[bxr140]

They don't sell tickets on the Goodyear Blimp. Occasionally there are charity auctions for a blimp ride, but they go for huge sums.

A few (more than a few?) years ago there was some airship that seemed to be making its way around the country to take paying customers on local aerial tours. It was moored in the Bay Area for months if not longer, both at Moffet Field in Sunnyvale (potentially in one of two big remaining hangars) and then also somewhere in Napa. Had friends that took a tour...I think it was like $400/seat or something.

 

[daniel]

A few (more than a few?) years ago there was some airship that seemed to be making its way around the country to take paying customers on local aerial tours. It was moored in the Bay Area for months if not longer, both at Moffet Field in Sunnyvale (potentially in one of two big remaining hangars) and then also somewhere in Napa. Had friends that took a tour...I think it was like $400/seat or something.

Cool. I won't return the the mainland for it, so I probably won't ever get an opportunity, but I'd have loved to do that. I did ride in a hot air balloon once. That was cool.

 

[Brando]

There were 35 fatalities (13 passengers and 22 crewmen) from the 97 people on board...
Hindenburg disaster - Wikipedia

In March 2019, the Boeing 737 MAX passenger airliner was grounded worldwide after 346 people died in two crashes, Lion Air Flight 610 on October 29, 2018 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 on March 10, 2019.

 

[PhantomX]

Question. What is everyone's thought on electricity sources to charge battery on electric airplane? Particularly when battery and motor technologies eventually are good enough for mid to long range commercial flights? I know we are long way away from that, but is there feasible power generating technology in work to accommodate power demand of commercial airport operations?

For example, Heathrow sees ~1300 flights a day pre-COVID. That would require multi-gigawatts of power if a large portion of those are mid to long range flights. I would think that power requirement would require multiple nuclear power plants if my calculation is correct, so hopefully someone is looking to tackle this challenge.

 

[SmartElectric]

If we stopped refining crude oil into gas and jet fuel, we'd have a lot of electricity to spare for charging cars and planes.
Re: Airports, very typically near large centers, ie, cities where many GW of electricity is already consumed.
Ex : Toronto.

Overlay the transmission map:
Ontario’s Electricity System

With airport location:
Google Maps

Almost direct overlap with one of the largest multi-GW transmission links coming into the city.

 

[JRP3]

Archer, and FCA to Accelerate EVTOL Production | Electric Vehicles Research

California-based Archer is creating the world's first all-electric airline that moves people throughout the world's cities in a quick, safe, sustainable and cost-effective manner. The new partnership will help accelerate Archer's timeline in becoming an industry leader with the resources and capabilities to capitalize on the new era of sustainable air mobility.

Archer will manufacture high-volume, composite, electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, with the intent of starting production in 2023.

 

[daniel]

The article says that Archer "moves people throughout the world's cities..." and that its first airplane will be built this year. That's pretty good, if it's moving people with airplanes that have not been built yet.

 

[MXLRplus]

GM surprises with Cadillac eVTOL air taxi at CES 2021

 

[Electroman]

The article says that Archer "moves people throughout the world's cities..." and that its first airplane will be built this year. That's pretty good, if it's moving people with airplanes that have not been built yet.

Wording sounds like Nikola-ish. Mix current and future tense in the same statement.

 

[daniel]

GM surprises with Cadillac eVTOL air taxi at CES 2021

"Avoid traffic congestion..." as it shows an animation of a city with just one "air taxi" flying along. All well and good as long as nobody else has one. And once a lot of people have them pedestrians are going to have to wear hard hats.

 

[MXLRplus]

"Avoid traffic congestion..." as it shows an animation of a city with just one "air taxi" flying along. All well and good as long as nobody else has one. And once a lot of people have them pedestrians are going to have to wear hard hats.

In theory, car drivers and pedestrians should be wearing helmets. Head injuries are the #1 killer on our roads.
But the real problem with small aircraft in cities, especially cities with tall buildings, is wind. Both natural and that caused by other small aircraft.
It's going to be a very tough system to engineer safety into.

 

[daniel]

The thing is, we already have helicopters. The old "flying car" concept was a vehicle that would drive on the roads between home and airport, and fly between airports. That idea is obsolete. Nobody still thinks they can do that. Instead, the new "flying car" concept is really just a large drone, which is merely a modification of the helicopter, and presumably easier to fly due to computer control of some or all of its functions. A drone may be mechanically simpler as it does not need the complicated pitch control of a helicopter's main rotor. But it's still going to be a very expensive proposition. We will certainly see passenger-carrying drones in the future, and they may compete with helicopters for some uses, but the ordinary Joe won't be able to afford to own or even take a ride in one.

 

[ThomasD]

First you have to get to where the flying drone is. Then you have to get to where ever you are going after it lands. Forget about building rooftop landing pads. Not going to happen

 

[ThomasD]

Up to 60 miles range Is that with or without the Heat or A/C running No mention of turn around times. Land charge and takeoff

 

[daniel]

First you have to get to where the flying drone is. Then you have to get to where ever you are going after it lands. Forget about building rooftop landing pads. Not going to happen

If you are rich enough to afford a drone you'll have your own landing pad. And if they're cheaper than helicopters they'll do what helicopters do now, possibly replacing helicopters on short routes. If you are rich you can take a helicopter now. Drones will be no different. Drone picks you up at your mansion and takes you to the airport where it puts you down right next to your private jet.

 

[PhantomX]

Question about flying car/drone operations. How do they integrate into national air traffic control? I would think they would want to operate in area close to airports and other restricted air space, so what's the operating procedures? For example, 405 freeway in So. Cal. goes right through landing approaches of SNA, LGB, and LAX. How does a flying car handle that if it follows the 405 corridor?