e-Go prototype
Now here’s one of my favourite up and coming single seat ultralights – the e-Go aeroplane.
Contrary to the suggestion in its name, the e-Go is not battery powered (yet). In fact propulsion unit is a 30 hp rotary (Wankel) engine adapted for the aircraft from its original use in large drones.
Performance figures for the single seat, very light weight (115 kgs empty) aircraft are quite amazing – cruise around 100 knots, slowest flight speed (canards don’t stall as such) around 35 knots, take-off and landing distances around 150 metres. Typical fuel burn is around 6.5 – 7.0 litres/hour, giving about a 3 hour duration with reserve.
The aircraft is not yet in production and is still undergoing extensive testing in its home country – the UK. First customer deliveries are expected to be in early 2015. However, at an asking price from about UK£50,000 (that’s about A$90,000 plus shipping and taxes at today’s rates) I can’t see high volume sales in Australia. And there’s also the problem of registration in Australia – currently (unlike USA and Europe/UK) there is no category under which this factory-built midget speedster can be registered. That’s a shame, as even given the high price, there are undoubtedly well heeled buyers out there who would have one…
Here’s a link to the e-GO website: e-Go aeroplane
Let me know your thoughts. Are you interested? Reactions to price? Lack of Australian movement towards ‘deregulation’ of single seat ultralights as per USA and Europe?
And here are some links to earlier blog posts I made about single seat light aircraft:
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