- Title: FRANCE-LIGHT AIRCRAFT BATTERY Back-up electric power "will save pilots' lives"
- Date: 21st July 2015
- Summary: MONASTIR, TUNISIA (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PLANES MOVING ON TARMAC PLANES IN THE AIR
- Embargoed: 5th August 2015 13:00
- Keywords:
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA8R63C1ODJ3ZZLSTYR6UPT2BVL
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: A back-up electric engine fitted to the propellers of light aircraft could save about 70 lives a year, say its creators. The electric propulsion system, developed by researchers at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) and the AXTER Aerospace firm, could be switched on by pilots in the event of engine failure and allow them seven valuable extra minutes to find somewhere safe to land.
AXTER showed off the system at the recent Paris Airshow. Founder Miguel Suarez told Reuters the hybrid system would allow pilots to fly an extra 20 kilometres in an emergency. "We integrated in series an electric motor with a clutching system that isolates the main engine when it fails and then the pilot has an additional 20 kilometres when the main engine fails to find a safe place to land," said Suarez.
Suarez said both two-seater and four-seater petrol-fuelled planes weighing up to 750 kilograms could use the system, which could be retrofitted easily and inexpensively to existing aircraft.
AXTER's chief engineer Daniel Cristobal said a high-efficiency lithium battery and an electronic system that draws energy from the battery and adapts it to the needs of the plane was key. He said: "The motor controllers manages the electric motor of our system. This controller is able to give 40 kilowatts, only with six kilograms, and this is the lithium battery. We are trying to certificate this component with EASA, which is the European safety agency for aircraft; and now we are trying to introduce or assemble a new battery with less weight in order to reduce the actual system weight." Both are held behind the cockpit.
Suarez is a keen pilot and has tested the back-up engine in flight himself. He says it could prevent 600 accidents - claiming about 70 lives - a year. "The worst case scenario is when you are taking off and the engine fails. So in this case there is no other option other than to try to save anything that you have you try to land but the accident is ensured, it will occur. So in this case we avoid this accident, so we allow the pilot to go back and land safely in the airport," he said.
Cristobal says it's easy to use, requiring the simple flick of a switch by the pilot. "The system is able to give until (up to) 40 horsepower, and it's easy to use. The pilot has an instrument in the cockpit and in case of an emergency the pilot only want to turn the push button and give more power, for seven minutes power."
The electric engine can also act as a turbo to increase the power of the aircraft in certain manoeuvres. "The system is not only a security system, it's also a hybrid system that permits to add more power to the main engine when you need more power, for example during the take-off you can have until (up to) 40 horsepower extra power," said Cristobal.
It also lowers the plane's fuel consumption and reduces the emission of greenhouse gases and noise pollution.
The system is being marketed and patented internationally, and could be certificated by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) shortly. Its makers say it might eventually be applied to other types of aircraft, such as gyroplanes, gliders, drones and other unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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