E-Go Aeroplanes e-Go
{{Short description|Ultralight aircraft}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2017}}
{{lowercase|title=e-Go}}
| {{Infobox Aircraft Begin
| name=e-Go | image=e-Go flying2 edited.jpg | caption= }}{{Infobox Aircraft Type | type=Ultralight aircraft and Light-sport aircraft | national origin=United Kingdom | manufacturer=e-Go Aeroplanes | first flight=24 October 2013 | introduced= | retired= | status=Awaiting production | primary user= | more users= | produced= | number built= | developed from= | variants with their own articles= }} |
File:e-Go flying.jpgFile:E-Go canard microlight aircraft at Old Warden.jpg
File:E-plane side view 1 extended.jpg
The e-Go Aeroplanes e-Go, originally known as the E-Plane, is a British ultralight and light-sport aircraft that was designed by Giotto Castelli, that was being developed by e-Go Aeroplanes of Cambridge and since May 2017, by GioCAS Aeronautical Consultancy, also located in Cambridge.Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12, page 42. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485XTacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: World Directory of Light Aviation 2015-16, page 44. Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015. {{ISSN|1368-485X}}
The aircraft won the Light Aircraft Association's design competition in 2007. It was first flown on 24 October 2013, with the first public flight-test and demonstration on 30 October 2013.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-24750978|work=BBC News|accessdate=31 October 2013|title=e-Go aeroplane: Norfolk test flight for Cambridge plane}} The aircraft was initially proposed to be supplied as a complete ready-to-fly-aircraft.{{cite web|author=Tony Bishop |url=http://www.e-go.me/ |title=e-Go aeroplanes |publisher=E-go.me |date= |accessdate=2013-04-14}}{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/pages/e-Go-Aeroplanes/132433470121448?v=wall |title=e-Go Aeroplanes |publisher=Facebook |date=2012-12-13 |accessdate=2013-04-14}}
Production plans for the design were suspended and staff laid off in November 2016 as e-Go Aeroplanes was unable to raise capital in the wake of the British Brexit vote. The aircraft program was acquired by the designer, Castelli, in May 2017, with the aim of bringing it to production.
Design and development
The aircraft was designed to comply with the United Kingdom single-seat deregulated microlight class (SSDR), as well as to comply with the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale microlight rules. The aircraft cruise speed is planned to be modified for US light-sport aircraft rules.{{cite web|title=First Flight For British Single-Seater|url=http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/First-Flight-For-British-Single-Seater220917-1.html|accessdate=6 November 2013}} It features a cantilever mid wing, a canard foreplane, a single-seat enclosed cockpit, fixed tricycle landing gear and a pusher engine and propeller. This follows the configuration established by the Rutan VariViggen and VariEze. The single engine is a Rotron Wankel engine based on Rotron's RT300 LCR engine which is intended for drones.
The aircraft is made from a combination of carbon fibre and foam. Its {{convert|8|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} span wing has an area of {{convert|11.5|m2|sqft|abbr=on}}. The standard engine will be a {{convert|30|hp|kW|0|abbr=on|order=flip}} rotary engine, which is expected to give a cruise speed of {{convert|100|kn|km/h mph|abbr=on|0|}} on {{convert|3.5|L|impgal usgal|abbr=on|1}} per {{convert|100|km|mi|0|abbr=on}}. Each wing has twin spars to provide torsional strength.LAA magazine flight test April 2020 page 34 The early lift-off canopy (which needed outsiders to help the pilot vacate the cockpit) was changed to a forward-hinged design in later models.
During 2016, e-Go Aeroplanes announced that full production would not proceed without further financial input, "an investment memorandum for a third round of funding was issued and distributed in July this year ... shareholder interest generated was insufficient, coupled with the unsure financial market following Brexit. The Board made the very difficult decision to make all staff positions redundant."October 2016 Company Newsletter email
In November 2016, e-Go Aeroplanes's operation was mothballed, and "overseen by Chief Operating Officer, Richard Clabon and the General Manager David Boughey". The company website stated that it was still looking for a buyer.{{cite web|url=http://www.e-goaeroplanes.com/ |title=e-Go Airplanes is Seeking a Buyer |accessdate=14 November 2016 |author=e-Go Airplanes |year=2016 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161115201547/http://www.e-goaeroplanes.com/ |archivedate=15 November 2016 }} but the company went into administration in the spring of 2017.{{cite journal |date=June 2017 |title=Civil Aiviation News|journal= Air Britain Aviation World|pages=56 }}
In May 2017 the assets of e-Go Aeroplanes were acquired by the aircraft's designer, Giotto Castelli, indicating that he would pursue production under his company, GioCAS Aeronautical Consultancy.{{cite web|url = https://www.facebook.com/eGo.aeroplanes/|title = e-Go Aeroplanes|access-date = 31 May 2018|last = Castelli|first = Giotto|work = www.facebook.com|date = 30 May 2017}}
Specifications (e-Go)
{{Aircraft specs
|prime units?=met
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|crew=one
|capacity=
|length m=
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|length in=
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|span m=8
|span ft=
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|height m=
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|wing area sqm=11.5
|wing area sqft=
|wing area note=
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|empty weight kg=115
|empty weight lb=254
|empty weight note=
|gross weight kg=243
|gross weight lb=536
|gross weight note=
|fuel capacity={{convert|25|L}}
|more general=
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=Rotron e-Go rotary aircraft engine
|eng1 type=|eng1 kw=
|eng1 hp=30
|prop blade number=3
|prop name=
|prop dia m=1.2
|prop dia ft=
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|perfhide=
|max speed kts=120
|max speed mph=138
|max speed note=
|cruise speed kmh=
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|stall speed kmh=65
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|range km=
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|range nmi=330
|range note=
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|ceiling m=
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|glide ratio=
|climb rate ms=4.6
|climb rate ftmin=900
|climb rate note=
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- MGL EFIS
}}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
{{commons category|E-go aeroplane}}
- {{Official website|http://giocas.eu/}}
- [http://www.e-go.me/ Previous official website]
- [http://vimeo.com/78206802 Official first flight video]
Category:2010s British ultralight aircraft
Category:Single-engined pusher aircraft