Yuneec International E430
{{short description|Chinese electric aircraft}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2022}}
{{Infobox aircraft begin
|name=E430 |image=Yuneec E430.jpg |caption= }}{{Infobox aircraft type |type=Light sport electric aircraft |manufacturer=Yuneec International |designer= |first flight=12 June 2009 |introduced= |retired= |status=Production not started |primary user= |more users= |produced= |variants with their own articles= }} |
The Yuneec International E430 is a Chinese two-seat electric aircraft that was designed for commercial production by electric model aircraft manufacturer Yuneec International. The first flight of the E430 took place from the Yuneec factory near Shanghai, China on June 12, 2009.{{cite web|url = http://www.gizmag.com/yuneec-e430-electric-aircraft/12036/|title = The Yuneec E430 aims to be the world's first commercially available electric aircraft |access-date = 2009-07-30|last = Hanlon|first = Mike|date=June 2009}}Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12, page 85. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. {{ISSN|1368-485X}}
Design
The E430 is a two-seat, V tailed, composite aircraft with a high-aspect ratio wing. Take-off speed is 40 mph, cruise speed is 60 mph, and max speed is 95 mph.{{cite web|url = http://yuneec.com/Aircraft_specification.html|title = E430 Specifications|access-date = 2009-07-30|last = Yuneec International|year = 2008}}{{cite web|url = http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/ElectricAviationMovesForward_200609-1.html|title = Electric Aviation Moves Forward |access-date = 2009-06-25|last = Grady|first = Mary|date=June 2009}}{{cite web|url = http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/FlightstarUltralightFirstFlightYuneecStartsUSFlightTesting_200774-1.html|title = Electric Flight Update: Flightstar Ultralight First Flight, Yuneec Starts U.S. Flight Testing |access-date = 2009-07-23|last = Grady|first = Mary|date=July 2009}}
The company claims that the battery packs have an expected lifespan of 1500 hours and cost US$7000 each, with the aircraft carrying 3-5 battery packs, giving two to two and half hours endurance. The batteries can be recharged in 3–4 hours from a 220 volt outlet. The company projected that by the time the first customers would require replacement battery packs that improved and less expensive ones would have been available.{{cite web|url = http://www.avweb.com/podcast/podcast/EAAAirVenture2010_CliveCoote_YuneecInternational_ElectricAirplane_203013-1.html?kw=RelatedStory|title = AVweb Interviews Yuneec International's Clive Coote |access-date = 29 July 2010|last = Pew|first = Glenn|date=July 2010}}{{cite web|url = http://www.avweb.com/news/airventure/EAAAirVenture2009_YuneecElectricLSAHopefulDebuts_200833-1.html|title = Yuneec Electric LSA Hopeful Debuts At AirVenture |access-date = 2009-07-29|last = Grady|first = Mary|date=July 2009}}
Development
The aircraft was being developed as a kit aircraft for the US market. The development of the E430 was funded entirely by Yuneec CEO Tian Yu. The company had planned to construct a 260,000 square foot (25,000 sq m) factory to produce the aircraft in Shanghai, that was expected to open in October 2009. Production of the E430 was planned to commence in late 2010 and first customer deliveries were initially forecast for early 2011.
The design was first flown on 12 June 2009 and then shipped for further testing to Camarillo, California. On 14 July 2009 the prototype aircraft was registered in the USA as N386CX and on 18 July 2009 it was given a Certificate of Airworthiness by the Federal Aviation Administration and further test flights were carried out, totalling 22 hours. The prototype E430 was then shipped by truck to Wisconsin and displayed at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh in July 2009.{{cite web|url = http://yuneeccouk.site.securepod.com/Aircraft_News.html|title = E430 News|access-date = 2009-07-30|last = Yuneec International|date=July 2009}}{{cite web|url = http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=386CX|title = FAA Registry N-Number Inquiry Results|access-date = 2009-07-30|last = Federal Aviation Administration|date=June 2009}} It was also on display at that venue in summer of 2010.{{cite web | title = EAA AirVenture 2010: Rain on the Wittman Field runways can't dampen Oshkosh Fly-In enthusiasm | author = Sara Black | date = August 31, 2010 | publisher = Composites World | url = http://www.compositesworld.com/articles/eaa-airventure-2010 | access-date = 2012-03-16 }}
Yuneec was working on developing a solar-cell installation for the wings that will recharge the aircraft's batteries.
In July 2009 the company estimated that the price for a commercially available light sport aircraft production version of the E430 would be US$89,000.
At AirVenture 2010 the company announced that it would start accepting orders for the aircraft after the show. At that date the aircraft was advertised as having an endurance of 2.25 to 2.5 hours with a useful load of {{convert|390|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}}. Deliveries were initially scheduled for late 2011, but by the end of 2012 there was no indication that more than prototypes had been completed.{{cite web|url = http://www.avweb.com/news/airventure/EAAAirVenture2010_yuneec_electric_aircraft_e430_eviva_202997-1.html|title = Yuneec: Electric Aircraft Are Here, Now|access-date = 29 July 2010|last = Pew | first = Glenn |date=July 2010}}{{cite web|url = http://www.yuneec.com/Aircraft_News.html|title = e430 News|access-date = 5 December 2012|last = Yuneec International|date = 1 August 2010}}
In June 2013 it was announced that the aircraft would be produced, marketed and supported by GreenWing International, however that company went out of business in about 2014.{{cite news|url = http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/NewCompanyWillMarketYuneecElectricAircraft_208910-1.html|title = New Company Will Market Yuneec Electric Aircraft |access-date = 27 June 2013|last = Grady|first = Mary|date = 27 June 2013| work = AVweb}}{{cite web|url = https://www.facebook.com/GreenWingInternational|title = GreenWing International|work=Facebook|access-date = 10 January 2017|author = GreenWing International|date = 29 December 2013}}
Operational history
The E430 was named the winner of the Lindberg prize for electric aircraft at AirVenture in 2010. In the same year it was named Brit Insurance Design of the Year in the transport category.
By December 2012 a total of two examples had been registered in the United States with the Federal Aviation Administration. The first one was the initial prototype shipped to the US, registered in the Experimental - Exhibition category on 14 July 2009, although its registration expired on 1 May 2013 and was not renewed. The second was registered in the Experimental - Research and Development category on 26 January 2011 to Flying Tian of Monterey Park, California.{{cite web|url = http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/MMS_results.aspx?Mmstxt=05628Q0&Statetxt=CA&conVal=0&PageNo=1|title = Make / Model Inquiry Results|access-date = 5 December 2012|last = Federal Aviation Administration|date = 5 December 2012}}
Specifications (E430)
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=Yuneec International, AvWeb and Bayerl
|prime units?=met
|genhide=
|crew=
|capacity=
|length m=6.98
|length ft=
|length in=
|length note=
|span m=13.8
|span ft=
|span in=
|height m=
|height ft=
|height in=
|height note=
|wing area sqm=11.37
|wing area sqft=
|wing area note=
|aspect ratio=
|airfoil=
|empty weight kg= 250
|empty weight lb=
|empty weight note=with batteries
|gross weight kg=470
|gross weight lb=
|gross weight note=
|more general=
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=Yuneec Power Drive 40, powered by Yuneec OEM Lithium Polymer batteries, 13 kg (28.6 lbs), 66.6V (30 Ah) each
|eng1 type=
|eng1 kw=40
|eng1 hp=
|prop blade number=2
|prop name=fixed pitch
|prop dia m=
|prop dia ft=
|prop dia in=
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|perfhide=
|max speed kmh=150
|max speed mph=
|max speed kts=
|max speed note=
|cruise speed kmh=90
|cruise speed mph=
|cruise speed kts=
|cruise speed note=
|stall speed kmh=70
|stall speed mph=
|stall speed kts=
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|never exceed speed kmh=
|never exceed speed mph=
|never exceed speed kts=
|never exceed speed note=
|range km=227
|range miles=
|range nmi=
|range note=
|endurance=
|ceiling m=
|ceiling ft=
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|g limits=
|roll rate=
|glide ratio=25:1
|climb rate ms=3.5
|climb rate ftmin=
|climb rate note=
|time to altitude=
|sink rate ms=
|sink rate ftmin=
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|lift to drag=
|wing loading kg/m2=41.3
|wing loading lb/sqft=
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See also
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{official website|http://www.yuneec.com/}}
{{Yuneec International aircraft}}