Electric aircraft are getting there - Curt Lewis

Aero Electric Intros Four-Seat Airplane

Aero Electric Aircraft Corp. plans to build a four-seat version of its all-electric airplane, the company announced at EAA AirVenture this week. The Sun Flyer 4 will have a payload of 800 pounds for pilot and passengers, the company said. "The four-seat airplane will have operating costs five times lower than costs associated with similar combustion-engine aircraft," said George Bye, CEO of AEAC. "With four hours of flying time, the versatile Sun Flyer 4 will appeal to both flight schools and pilot-owners." Spartan College, which has placed 25 deposits for the two-seat Sun Flyer 2, also made the first deposit for a Sun Flyer 4. Spartan plans to develop a complete training system for the Sun Flyer aircraft, AEAC said, including a course for airframe and powerplant technicians that will feature specialized training for the all-electric system.

AEAC has built a proof-of-concept prototype of its two-seat Sun Flyer, which was on display this week at Oshkosh. The company says they plan to certify the airplane under FAR Part 23. AEAC projects the energy cost for Sun Flyer 2 will be only about $1 of electricity for each hour of flight, compared to $25 to $65 per hour for leaded avgas. The two-seat Sun Flyer prototype will soon begin power-on tests at its home station at Centennial Airport near Denver, the company said this week. It began taxi tests last year.