One Has A Single Electric Engine Flanked By Two Cockpits

By Chris Batcheller

Displayed on the grounds this year is a unique looking glider. With twin fuselages and an engine pod in the middle, this is one of the more unique airplanes to be displayed at Airventure 2011. 

Pipistrel purpose built this airplane to win this years NASA PAV challenge. Pipistrel is no stranger to the NASA challenge; having won the two year prior. The Pipistrel team reviewed the rules, and they decided the best way to win was with an electric 4 seat airplane. The goal is huge, to achieve 100 miles per gallon per seat at more than 100 mph over a 200 mile course.

To make the airplane the team has taken 2 production models, a Taurus Electro G2 and grafted the fuselages together.  With this configuration, two people sit in the left fuselage and two people sit in the right.  It looks very “Rutan” inspired, similar to the “Boomerang” without the asymmetry. The airplane can be flown from either cockpit, although the team flies it from the left and the right cockpit has ballast to simulate passengers.

The airplane is full of cutting edge technology.  It’s also the largest wingspan and the largest electric motors. The electric motors are equivalent to 200 hp. Pipiental is used to being on the leading edge, having flown the first electric airplane in the world to carry a passenger.

Pipistrel is also using the airplane as a test bed for an electric version of the Panthera design which is under development. The 200 mph design is planned to have a range of 1000 miles. The Panthera will be aviabiable in three versions, an internal combustion engine, a hybrid version with an electric and a purely electric version.

The company has no commercial plans for the airplane.  The plane is strictly for the competition and for research and development at Pipistrel.  As to the fate of the unique looking airplane? Pipistrel’s Mike Coates has been told the airplane will be cut up.

 FMI: www.pipistrel.si