And Now For Something Completely Different

While Tuesday was the day Sonex Aircraft unveiled its proof of concept prototype electrically-powered plane, the company's E-Flight Initiative involves more than just electric power, focusing on pioneering alternative energy research and development for sport aircraft.

According to Sonex Aircraft's Mark Schaible, the company's research and development team began work on its "E-Flight Initiative" in 2006.

"E-Flight is a push to explore viable alternative energies for powering sport aircraft and to improve efficiency and performance of current products and technologies to keep aviation affordable for the average pilot and to keep recreational aviation available to future generations of pilots,"

The initiative has three major area of focus, taking a diverse approach to the problems of rising energy costs and an ailing environment to provide short-term, intermediate, and long-term "green" powerplant solutions.

In addition to the electric power endeavor, the initiative is investigating converting the AeroConversions AeroVee 2.0 powerplant to use ethanol-based fuels. That will allow the accommodation of ethanol-blend auto fuel and/or pure ethanol to both increase performance and efficiency and insure Sonex and AeroConversions products are prepared for the possible discontinuation of 100LL or similar aviation fuels.

Sonex Aircraft produces the AeroConversions line of products, which include the AeroVee engine, AeroCarb, and ancillary aviation products.

The third area of focus, efficiency enhancement, looks to increase fuel efficiency and performance for the sport pilot.

With the unveiling of the program at AirVenture, Sonex is hoping to push the rest of the recreational aviation industry toward similar goals in the interest of preserving the future of the sport.

"Our initiative will broaden and refine our vision of what efficient, low cost sport aviation will be for the generations to come," said Sonex founder and President John Monnett.

"It should serve as a beacon to attract serious sponsors for this important effort."

The company began scientific testing to optimize the AeroConversions AeroVee 2.0 for the use of ethanol-based fuels, partnering with Renew Fuel Stations, an Oshkosh-based company.

Higher supplies of ethanol fuel are available in the US by virtue of the increasing popularity of new "flex fuel" cars and trucks being produced by American can manufacturers that use ethanol-blended fuels.

FMI: www.aeroconversions.com/e-flight, www.sonexaircraft.com