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Orkney islands could get first electric plane service
- deleted 8y ago[deleted]
- royjacobs 8y agoIt would be really interesting to see if they can make this viable and reliable. Side note: no disrepect intended, but when reading the names of some of the islands it feels like they're written in pig Latin.
- smackay 8y agoThe names are either old celtic or norse names. If you check out the Wikipedia page for Papa Westray, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papa_Westray https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papa_Westray, then follow the links you get quite a history on the origins of the names.
- tom_mellior 8y agoSpecifically, the -ay, -ey, -øy suffixes that evoke Pig Latin mean "island" in places that had Norse presence. See https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/-ey#English https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/-ey#English and https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/ey#Old_Norse https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/ey#Old_Norse
- Theodores 8y agoThe Orkney Isles are setting the example in the UK. Going green and making progress with it is also quite good for the community, not to mention the balance sheet. Another future is definitely possible and the folks in the Orkney Isles are an inspiration. The Fully Charged Show on YouTube has been following progress for years, here is a recent three part series on wind, hydrogen and big batteries in the Orkney Isles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rybpaqhg5Qg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rybpaqhg5Qg I highly recommend liking, subscribing and giving a thumbs up to Fully Charged Show. Anyone that enjoyed Red Dwarf or Scrapheap Challenge will know the presenter.
- Already__Taken 8y agoAmature here; Aircraft engines aren't just rated by hours-ran but also cycles. That being start-Takeoff/landing-stop. Maintenance and part life is specified X hours or Y Cycles. I would think there's no reason to apply any of that to an electric power plant. So can anyone familiar with the topic enlighten if this might have much impact to the cost/benefit going on?
- berti 8y agoElectric plant is also stressed by higher loads (thermal mainly, which has a number of downstream effects), and cyclic thermal stress would lead to cycle limits just the same. You also still have a lot of mechanical components just the same as combustion engines.
- tialaramex 8y ago> You also still have a lot of mechanical components just the same as combustion engines. This certainly wasn't true for cars, a fully electric vehicle is simpler, resulting in an immediately noticeable reduction in maintenance overhead - are you sure it will be different for aeroplanes? Keep in mind that the combustion engine of a propeller aeroplane will have an entire electrical system as part of the combustion engine because it turns out even most private pilots are not inclined to get out and start the propeller by hand ever time.
- VBprogrammer 8y agoI think, if I'm conceiving of this properly in my head, that electrically powered props would alleviate the need for variable pitch propellers; a complicated affair involving oil pressure and governors. Since the torque curve of an electric motor is flat I don't think it'd be needed. Although a feathering system may still be required to twin engine electric planes.
- Already__Taken 8y agoYou'd still need it for reverse.
- 7000skeletons 8y agoOrkney and the Shetland Isles are actually some of the wealthiest regions of the UK, so it makes sense that they might be able to get something like this off the ground.
- ljf 8y agoSome more on this statement: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-27138927 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-27138927
- m-i-l 8y agoTo clarify - it is wealth of the council, not average wealth of individual residents. Bear in mind also that the cost of living is very high, given most products have to be imported from the mainland. For example, the Shetland Islands has some of highest petrol prices in the UK despite being the site of the largest oil terminal in Europe (oil has to be exported for refining).
- madeuptempacct 8y agoIt's because Merlin's mother lived there and hoarded wealth.
- taneq 8y agoWizard privilege, eh?
- jarofgreen 8y agoJust to make clear something that may be puzzling folk: the famous Westray / Papa Westray link is NOT the only route this plane serves! This plane serves many islands in Orkney: check out the schedule on https://www.loganair.co.uk/travel-information/orkney-inter-island-services/ https://www.loganair.co.uk/travel-information/orkney-inter-i... This is really cool to see. Orkney has really pushed renewable energy and in fact, on some days they make more than they can use and export!
- NeedMoreTea 8y agoI thought generating more than they can use or export was the default for Orkney now? Which is why they're leading the pack adopting EVs, heat pumps, community heat schemes etc, and the hydrogen plan for the ferries. They have to find something to do with it all, or turn off some wind turbines and solar. So they're migrating every remaining use of fossil fuel possible. Which seems a much better plan than anywhere else. All that for a tiny fraction of the fuel bills the rest of the UK pays. I wish the mainland was a little more inspired to blatantly copy. :)
- skybrian 8y agoHave the crypto miners found them yet?
- syntaxing 8y agoIs there a fully released (non-experimental license) electric aircraft out there right now? A couple years ago I saw that a lot of companies wanted to create a "short" flight electric plane but I have not seen any with a full plane license/cert.
- alex_duf 8y agoI don't know what "non-experimental license" means as I don't know the industry very well, but wouldn't the Pipstrel Alpha Electro be what you're talking about? or are you talking about larger planes? https://www.pipistrel.si/plane/alpha-electro/overview https://www.pipistrel.si/plane/alpha-electro/overview