Sonex Electric Sport Aircraft
{{Short description|American electric aircraft}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{Use American English|date=November 2022}}
| {{Infobox aircraft begin
|name = Electric Sport Aircraft |logo = |image = |caption = }}{{Infobox aircraft type |type = Homebuilt aircraft |manufacturer = Sonex Aircraft |designer = Sonex Aircraft Hornet's Nest |first flight = 3 December 2010 (Waiex Test Bed){{cite web|url = http://www.sonexaircraft.com/press/releases/pr_120310.html|title = E-Flight Electric Waiex Achieves First Flight|accessdate = 2011-10-21|archive-url= https://archive.today/20130203003123/http://www.sonexaircraft.com/press/releases/pr_120310.html|archive-date= 3 February 2013|url-status= live}} |introduction = |retired = |status = Development ended |primary user = |more users = |produced = |number built = |developed from = Sonex Aircraft Xenos |variants with their own articles = }} |
The Sonex Electric Sport Aircraft (ESA) was a two-place (one place with additional batteries) aircraft design that was under development by Sonex Aircraft, using the {{convert|80|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Sonex e-Flight electric system for thrust.{{cite web|url= http://www.sonexaircraft.com/research/e-flight.html|title= E-flight ESA|access-date= 23 November 2022|author= Sonex Aircraft|author-link= Sonex Aircraft|work= sonexaircraft.com|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180212204844/http://www.sonexaircraft.com/research/e-flight.html|archive-date= 12 February 2018|url-status= dead}} Sonex designed this aircraft as a part of an attempt to develop alternate fuels, to ensure feasibility of inexpensive sport aviation in the future.{{cite web|url=http://www.youngeagles.org/volunteers/programnews/archive/32007%20-%2008_02%20-%20Sonex%20Rolls%20out%20Electric%20Airplane.asp|title=Sonex Unveils Electric Airplane|accessdate=2011-10-22|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120330054049/http://www.youngeagles.org/volunteers/programnews/archive/32007%20-%2008_02%20-%20Sonex%20Rolls%20out%20Electric%20Airplane.asp|archive-date= 30 March 2012|url-status= dead}}
The last update on the project was put out by the company in 2011 and the webpage about it was removed in 2017.{{cite web|url= http://www.sonexaircraft.com/research/e-flight/updates/e-flight_042011.html|title= E-flight progress updates|access-date= 27 November 2022|author= Sonex Aircraft |author-link= Sonex Aircraft|work= sonexaircraft.com|date= 20 April 2011|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170803142209/http://www.sonexaircraft.com/research/e-flight/updates/e-flight_042011.html|archive-date= 3 August 2017|url-status= dead}}
Design and development
The ESA was designed to use the Sonex e-Flight electric system, which was concurrently under development. The airframe was developed from the Xenos, and was not intended to compete with the other aircraft in the Sonex line. The initial flights, however, have used a Waiex airframe, and were centered around testing the electric power system. The aircraft was to be aluminum riveted, and features were to include a shortened wingspan and tail tips (in relation to the Xenos), aerobatic wing tips, 8' flaps instead of spoilers, and for the center of gravity, an auxiliary battery and controller in the tail cone.
The electrical system was 270 volts and 200 amps, and was intended to be adjustable to different power outputs.{{cite web|url=https://www.avweb.com/air-shows-events/sonex-explores-alternative-engines/|title=Sonex Explores Alternative Engines|accessdate=2011-10-22}} As of 2007, the brushless DC-Cobalt motor was designed be very lightweight, at only {{convert|50|lbs|kg|0|abbr=on}}, to operate at 90% efficiency, and to use Lithium-ion and Lithium-polymer batteries.{{cite web|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/airventure-sonex-plans-battery-powered-engine-215726/|title=AIRVENTURE: Sonex plans battery-powered engine|accessdate=2011-10-22|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160305214804/http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/airventure-sonex-plans-battery-powered-engine-215726/|archive-date= 5 March 2016|url-status= live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.evworld.com/article.cfm?storyid=1447|title=Sonex Moves Closer to Electric Flight|accessdate=2011-10-22|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170705035256/http://evworld.com/article.cfm?storyid=1447|archive-date= 5 July 2017|url-status= dead}}
For safety, the batteries were contained in "safety boxes", which were designed, in the event of a problem, to direct fire or explosion through designated holes, and to help cool the cells normally. In the final version, the batteries were intended able to be charged in the aircraft, while retaining the ability to be easily removed and swap them with other batteries.{{cite web|url=http://www.greencarcongress.com/2007/07/sonex-aircraft-.html|title=Sonex Aircraft and AeroConversions Show Electric Propulsion System for Sport Aircraft|accessdate=2011-10-22|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220516124930/http://www.greencarcongress.com/2007/07/sonex-aircraft-.html|archive-date= 16 May 2022|url-status= live}} The design won the Lindberg Electric Aircraft Prize for the "Best Electric Aircraft Sub-System or Component Technology" at Airventure 2010, and at that time the first completion of a production aircraft was anticipated for the end of 2011.{{cite web|url=http://green.autoblog.com/2010/08/12/first-lindbergh-electric-aircraft-prizes-recognizes-yuneec-sone/|title=First Lindbergh Electric Aircraft Prizes recognizes Yuneec, Sonex and Antares with video|accessdate=2011-10-22|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161116025223/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/08/12/first-lindbergh-electric-aircraft-prizes-recognizes-yuneec-sone/|archive-date= 16 November 2016|url-status= dead}}
Specifications
{{Aircraft specs
|prime units?=imp
|genhide=
|crew=one
|capacity=
|length m=
|length ft=19
|length in=9
|length note=
|span m=
|span ft=35
|span in=8
|span note=
|height m=
|height ft=
|height in=
|height note=
|wing area sqm=
|wing area sqft=130
|wing area note=
|aspect ratio=
|airfoil=
|empty weight kg=
|empty weight lb=920
|empty weight note=- unknown whether empty weight includes the batteries.
|gross weight kg=
|gross weight lb=1320
|gross weight note=
|fuel capacity=17kW-hr battery pack + optional 14kW-hr auxiliary battery (in lieu of passenger)
|more general=
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=e-flight Electric System
|eng1 type=Electric
|eng1 kw=
|eng1 hp=80
|eng1 shp=
|prop blade number=
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|prop dia m=
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|max speed kmh=
|max speed mph=
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|stall speed kmh=
|stall speed mph=43
|stall speed kts=
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|never exceed speed kmh=
|never exceed speed mph=170
|never exceed speed kts=
|never exceed speed note=
|range km=
|range miles=87
|range nmi=
|range note=- range is 164 miles (143 nmi; 244 km) with auxiliary battery option
|endurance=50 min (96 min with auxiliary battery option)
|ceiling m=
|ceiling ft=
|ceiling note=
|g limits=+4.4/-2.2
|roll rate=
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|climb rate ms=
|climb rate ftmin=800
|climb rate note=
|time to altitude=
|lift to drag=17:1
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|wing loading lb/sqft=
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}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.sonexaircraft.com Manufacturer Website]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20180212204844/http://www.sonexaircraft.com/research/e-flight.html ESA Development website archives] on Archive.org
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20170803142209/http://www.sonexaircraft.com/research/e-flight/updates/e-flight_042011.html E-flight Updates with video archives] on Archive.org
{{Monnett aircraft}}
Category:2010s United States sport aircraft
Category:Single-engined tractor aircraft