Electric Flight Visionaries, Technical Applications Highlight Two-Day Event

As part of its commitment to advancing electric flight and aviation innovation, GE Aviation will sponsor the World Symposium on Electric Aircraft for the second consecutive year at EAA AirVenture 2011, which (in case you'd forgotten) will be held July 25-31 at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh.

Open and free to AirVenture attendees, the second annual World Symposium on Electric Aircraft sponsored by GE Aviation is scheduled for Friday, July 29, and Saturday, July 30. The two-day event will feature several influential industry leaders discussing electric propulsion aircraft in an open forum, offering what they envision is the future for this rapidly growing flight segment that is attracting the attention of scientists, engineers, manufacturers, and investors.

"Electric power systems and technologies are taking on more importance in the aviation industry, and GE Aviation is delighted to play a leading role in this exciting growing field,” said Dr. Dale Carlson, GE Aviation’s executive for Advanced Engine Systems and a speaker at the Symposium. “A highly reliable all-electric aircraft on par with today’s aircraft still poses many challenges, but the challenges are balanced by the many potential benefits such an aircraft would provide for a cleaner, efficient mode of transportation.”

Forums on Friday, July 29, will feature visionaries of electric flight, while applications of technology will be discussed on Saturday, July 30. A full schedule of presentation topics is available online.

In addition to Carlson, among the confirmed participants for the symposium are keynote speaker Sergei Sikorsky, son of aerospace pioneer and Sikorsky Aircraft founder Igor Sikorsky; Rep. Sam Graves (R-Missouri); Dorenda Baker, FAA Director of Aircraft Certification Service; Dr. Don Hillebrand, director of Center for Transportation Research at Argonne National Laboratory; Calin Gologan, PC-Aero president; Dennis Bushnell, chief scientist at NASA Langley Research Center; Dr. Abas Goodarzi, U.S. Hybrid president; as well as commercial pilot and flight instructor Erik Lindbergh, grandson of aviation pioneer Charles Lindbergh.

Registration for the World Symposium on Electric Aircraft is required and can be done online. Forums on Friday, July 29, will be held at the Eagle Hangar located inside the EAA AirVenture Museum, while presentations on Saturday, July 30, will be held at the Nature Center Pavilion on the AirVenture grounds.

Additionally, daily themed forums will be held at the EAA Innovation Center on safety and airframes; motors, fuel cells, and propulsion; advanced batteries and controls; and regulations. The week will conclude with working sessions on Saturday, July 30.

Airplane concepts and active prototypes will be on display throughout the week capped off by special flight demonstrations to showcase these aircraft.

FMI: www.airventure.org/electric