Make an electric plane with Airbus

[i3marc]

I am a soon to be pilot and I find the current offering in the General Aviation sector lacking, to put it mildly.

The assembly line of Cessna looks like something you would see in Medieval Italy while they built plate armor :lol:

Maybe apply the same cutting edge carbon fiber strategy to the E-Fan, soon to be mass produced?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfBfZJBQH_I

 

[jadnashuanh]

Raytheon used to own Beechcraft, and did make a smaller non-commercial plane out of carbon fiber. They didn't sell too many, and except for one or two they donated to a museum, they've all been destroyed. People weren't ready for it and they didn't sell too many. I think they called it the starship.

The process of getting an airframe certified for sale to general aviation, is not inexpensive, which is why we tend to see minor changes to an ancient design being offered for the most part.

 

[RJSATLBA]

As a sweeping generalisation carbon fibre is increasingly common in current GA aircraft, as are efficient small capacity engines, unless the names Cessna, Piper, Lycoming or Continental appear!

 

[jadnashuanh]

Commercial aircraft, selling in the many million dollar range allow a lot more opportunity to spread the development and certification costs over a reasonable number of sales. GA, probably not as much. Until somebody decides to try to step in and break the mold, the existing small manufacturers probably just won't take that leap. Off an on, various large corporations have considered getting into GA aircraft, but the business case just never seems to be quite right.

 

[Darrellsn]

Maybe fine for some, but Im not interested.
I wanted electric cars, and that is what I have.

 

[jadnashuanh]

FWIW, BMW was in the aviation business until the end of WWII. Mostly engines, though, including their cars and motorcycles.