Alltrikes

This photo was taken the day Bill passed.  To most, it's a beautiful photo from Cayucos looking toward Morro Rock about 5 miles in the distance.  Soaring pilots will look at that cloud and recognize a convergence lift band pointing the way toward the holy-grail of flights at Cayucos-- from launch to "the rock"   Bill would've set it up that way.

There have been several aircraft that employ RC motors.

The turbine Cri Cri uses RC engines as I recall.

Yeah, the e-volo multi-rotor copter was pretty interesting/cool.  I think 1 or 2 motors is plenty for a trike-- at 3 motors which way do you rotate the props?   At 4, what's the particular advantage again??-- smaller sized motors / availability? -> it seems to me it's pushing diminishing returns, when there are definitely single motors that can due the job-- going to 2, you get the biggest reduction (50%) in size of motor, for increased complexity (double the wiring and mounts)-- you get a little redundancy (safety), and can cancel out torque.

Funny you mentioned the folding mounts-- I just called Ken (@knussear) yesterday  to say I had an idea: twin motors like in the photo above, that swing back behind the pilot (into the slipstream / fairing) when not powered-- like bringing your hands together from a wide open palms out embrace to the clapping position.  That doesn't seem too difficult to execute-- little more complexity (not too much), better streamlining for soaring.

CBurg, aren't most electric motors bi-directional?  Ie, you wouldn't need a redrive to reverse one motor.  Or am I wrong?  (hey, that brings up a wild idea, reversing the motor(s) on landing as an additional braking action !!! ;)  Or slightly reversing one motor to help yaw the glider in a thermal?

Here's another open source question for you guys?  If the motor not being behind the pilot (or out on a long shaft) makes it more efficient by providing cleaner airflow/bite to it, then does the motor itself spoil the air to the prop?  The motor on the Earthstar eGull in the movie seems to be about 18" in diameter-  is there much efficiency to be gained in airflow near the hub of a prop to be worth moving the electric motors out of the way of the prop as well (via a belt drive or etc)?

Just announced a plug-in electric module for the Archeopteryx light sailplane.

I put in a call to Mark Beirle just now, left a message.  Had spoken with an employee friend of mine by email earlier who said he thinks Mark would be interested in helping.  I'll keep you advised.

@Rizzy , can you have Ace call / email me please?

The Jet man uses 4 RC turbines !! ;)  but, I'm really just interested in making an electric trike ;)

Hey, sorry I haven't posted much lately-- I'm out of town (not flying :(   but having fun).  In fact, I'm up near Doug from Boulder Creek's / Watsonville (who also happens to be a great mechanic & A&P).  Anyway, I've been on the phone a bunch with people about the project-- thank you guys!

I did speak to Earthstar and for new eqpt (I wrote it down to post, but from memory):

6KW motor = 40 HP (so more than the 34 native to the AceTrike)

105 lbs (45 lbs of which is battery (5 gallons gas =  30.5 lbs)- the rest motor, controllers, wiring, etc.  $8K.

$8K for electric + $13K (minus the motor cost) = ~$20K trike.  A bit steep for a commercial project, but some might be enticed.  I'm so stuck on the idea, I'd like to do it as a one off, but I'm quite sure we can source components that will make it more in reach for others-- that's what I'd like to do.  Please post more ideas, etc, and let's continue to work this thing out on paper.

        Interesting thing on electric is that the "fuel" does not need to be near the CG so that as you go from +30lbs to 2lbs of gas the CG won't change much.  The fuel will weigh the same.  So, you can use the batteries more like ballast and place them at a position that gives optimum balance to the weight of the engine.

I think he said only 30 minutes of flight (but that would be at full throttle (40HP)-- at less throttle, more time.

However, for a soaring trike, the goal is not pedal to the metal XC for hours-- The goal is to lift the trike to soaring altitude several times (minimum 3 times- I'd say-- 2 for fun, and one for an emergency low save).  By my very rough calculations then- if the Acetrike with 34 HP climbs at 1K FPM, then it would take 3 minutes to gain 3K AGL-- a good soaring height.  Therefore, with 30min of battery power, you could climb 10x on that power.  Therefore there's room to lighten the system Earthstar uses and reduce the cost as well.