Details on the effort:
Parawatt
Flytec eDrive
Yuneec International
Werner Eck
Elektro
Neil Andrews ePPG
Csaba Lemak
Helix
Fresh Breeze
Razeebuss
EFS, Ltd.
Ernie Van Drongelen
Skynch
Csaba Lemak
Canada
Electric Paramotor Efforts
Csaba built what most consider as the first practical electric powered
paraglider that really got things going. He continues to work on it and updates will be added here as they come in.
Update
12/18/2007 by Jeff Goin
It appears that Csaba is no longer
actively developing his electric paramotor as we have been unable to contact him
for several months.
If that changes, we'll post it
here.
Albuquerque Thrust Test
10/29/2006 by Jeff Goin
Csaba brought his creation to
Albuquerque, NM but was, unfortunately, unable to fly it due to a mechanical
problem. However, before that happened, we did do a thrust and weight test on
it. The machine, with all of it's batteries, weighed 65 pounds and, at a density
altitude of 5500 feet, it put out 93 pounds of thrust (about 105 pounds
sea-level equivalent).
My impression:
Although I wasn't able to fly the
machine due to a mechanical glitch, I did build an initial impression.
It was well balanced and comfortable.
Like all Walkerjets, the harness must be cinched up tight to prevent the pilot's
legs from hitting the frame bottom and to balance the weight higher on your
back. In flight, the straps are loosened. The electric version puts the weight
closer to your back so it is more comfortable than a typical Walkerjet.
One worry of this machine, like
electric start models, is that throttling up could instantly
produce deadly RPM even if the pilot was not expecting it. In order to reduce
this risk, Csaba has devised an ingenious throttle arrangements To get power,
it must first be switched on and it will not turn on unless the throttle is at
idle. Then the pilot must activate the throttle three times
before power will be available.
Once the procedure has been done,
then power is immediately available until the switch is turned off. So it's
obviously critical for the pilot to remember to turn it off when he's done. He
elected against a timeout feature since a pilot could be caught in flight and be
unable to add power after a long soaring stint.
Power (prop spin-up) is immediate,
more than any machine I've flown. The machine will cause a transient
weight-shift turn during power up but this effect will likely be so brief as to
not be objectionable.
Better Motor & Controller
10/13/2006 by Jeff Goin
Some new technologies have come to
the attention of Csaba's attention as he continues towards a production capable
paramotor. He is working with a professor from the Czech republic who is tasking
his students with building some technologies (controller and motor) that will
work well with a 47 inch propeller. He has been testing numerous props supplied
by Richard of Helix
propeller and has improved efficiency with one particular 47"
model.
 Mr.
Lemak is also considering use of the RS-LRK-MOTEREN
Outrunner motor about to be released in Germany which puts out 20 Kw (good for
about 16 hp) at only 7 pounds of weight. Plus, he is looking at a battery
technology from South Korea that has 70 amp hour batteries that, in a pack of
14, would power an 18 hp motor for 40 minutes of flight time at flight weight of
26 Kg (57 pounds). That is using his current technology electric paramotor.
He has been flying his electric
machine consistently and wowed a local R/C club with its performance. This motor
will be at the Albuquerque fly-in on Friday, Oct 6.
The best developments continue to
come from the Radio Controlled airplane community although Csaba is working with
others to solve some of our unique high-power requirements. The Lithium Polymer
batteries that have taken over electric powered models have about twice the
capacity at about half the weight of comparable NiCad or NiMH packs.
He tells us of a group in Europe that
is making an electric paramotor using a brushed golf cart motor that weighs
about 7 Kg more than the one he is using but is more readily available. It uses
the less expensive and heavier Lithium Ion batteries. We have no word on whether
this machine has flown yet. If anyone has any information on that effort, please
let us know. |
