Reinventing the Wheel But Different

Rolls-Royce says its all-electric aircraft 'is world's fastest'

Rolls-Royce believes its Spirit of Innovation plane could be the world's fastest all-electric aircraft.

The firm - whose aerospace headquarters are based in Derby - said the plane reached a top speed of 387.4 mph (623 km/h) during test runs at an experimental aircraft testing site.

It is thought to have set new World Records over three different distances.

The figures have been sent to the World Air Sports Federation for verification.

The test flights took place at Boscombe Down in Amesbury, Wiltshire, on 16 November.

 

I don't understand all the fuss about electric drive:
As early as April 29, 1899 (!), Camille "The Red Devil" Jenatzy conquered the then magical 100 km/h mark with his "La Jamais Contente" (The Never Satisfied) powered by two 25kW electric motors. Conventional internal combustion engines were not capable of achieving such performance.....
122 years later, the electric drive is being hailed as THE technology of the future - who would have thought it?

 

It's just another media over-hype. The aircraft was not a RR creation, it is a re-engined Sharp Nemesis NXT which was built as a private venture purely for racing. It's 350HP petrol engine already gave it a cruise speed of 325 mph.

 

I can see an obvious problem with electric aircraft. What happens when the full length of the electric cable is played out and the plug is pulled from the socket?

 

sorted

 

Its so bloody obvious, they revert to control line flying. I have a friend who has a patent for a 5,000 mile control line system that carries the motive power in the lines and will access most of the important destinations in the Western hemisphere. If power loss is too great at any time they will use Elon Musk's ridiculous satellite network to boost the power in their 5,000 mile dipoles.

 

Remember these
Start Flying & Building
Control Line Model Airplane

 

Blutto,

I am afraid that is all a bit over my head, (pun intended), as I opted out of Physics at O'Level.

Simon.

 

It was a joke Simon. Control line is a rather old form of model aircraft flying.

 

I had one as a child. It was a D model P-51 with a internal combustion engine. I would get drunk spinning in a circle flying the damn thing.

 

...or you plot a course to take in as many thunderclouds as possible, and recharge on lightning!

 

So glad you didn't say 'lightening' like so many others do

 

that would be me then

 

On a diet?

 

who's a bright spark then....

 

..given my failure in my mock English CSE, its a wonder I didn't spell it lytenin' (...oh wait, I did. Spellchecker must have put it right!)

 

This one does not look that aerodynamic

 

Looks rather plain.