Wed, Dec 21, 2011
The e-Genius evolved from the Hydrogenius fuel-cell powered
airplane project which won the Berblinger Prize 2006. The
prize-winning concept was optimized by the University of
Stuttgart’s aircraft design specialists under the leadership
of Prof. Rudolf Voit-Nitschmann, head of the Institute of Airplane
design at University Stuttgart.
A long standing working relationship and exchange of experience
between the solar flight pioneer Eric Raymond and Prof. Rudolf
Voit-Nitschmann led to a variant of the aircraft's participation in
the Green Flight Challenge 2011.
Professor Voit-Nitschmann told ANN that the e-Genius is a
modified version of that fuel-cell powered airplane. Eric Raymond
said competitor Pipistrel was also a technical sponsor for
e-Genius, and allowed them to utilize molds for the outer wings and
canopy design. Raymond said the airplane is powered by about 600
pounds of laptop batteries.
Prof. Voit-Nitschmann said the e-Genius has a range of about
four hours and 400 kilometers. While he says that is not efficient
enough to go to market, the technology will improve, and the
research that is being done today will eventually result in
electric airplanes.
In October, the airplane won the Lindbergh Prize for Quietest
Aircraft, which was established to quantify the noise impact of
aircraft on the surrounding community. According to a news release,
the testing was performed by an independent team of
aero-acousticians who measured takeoff noise levels of each of the
planes in the Green Flight Challenge. Measurements were taken at
several points along each side of the runway to factor out
variables such as crosswind noise. Noise levels of the competitors
ranged from a minimum of 56dBA to a maximum of 72dBA. e-Genius won
with a takeoff range of 56 – 62 dBA. By comparison, the
takeoff noise of a turbo-fan aircraft at a similar distance is 110
dBA, over 16 times louder.
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