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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Baskerville Old Face'; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Baskerville Old Face'; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div>Steven Lingle</div><div><a href="mailto:barisax@olypen.com">barisax@olypen.com</a></div><br><span></span><span></span><span><img height="96" width="96" id="556f29dc-493b-4c48-877e-7ad77ade8c2b" apple-width="yes" apple-height="yes" src="cid:8BAE67BC-3CE7-4CB7-9917-2A01FC9A34CF@Belkin"></span>
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<br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><h2><a name="203741"><font face="arial,helvetica,geneva">Sonex Flies Electric Airplane</font></a></h2><p class="copy"><img src="http://www.avweb.com/newspics/sonexwaiexfirstflight.jpg" align="right" border="0" hspace="8">
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<br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p>More than three years after its 2007 unveiling (<a href="http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/exclusivevids/ExclusiveVideo_Sonex_ElectricPoweredFlight_195724-1.html">video</a>), Sonex Aircraft's electric-powered Waiex took
its first flight (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTCRJM9G0mU" target="_blank">video</a>)
Friday, lifting out of ground effect before settling back down on the
runway at Wittman Regional
Airport in Oshkosh, Wis. Sonex says the intentionally short hop was
intended to analyze "one of the most advanced electric flight packages
ever conceived." If true, that may help Sonex catch Chinese
manufacturer Yuneec, which achieved first flight (<a href="http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/exclusivevids/ExclusiveVideo_YuneecE430_ElectricAirplane_FirstFlight_200617-1.html">video</a>) of its two-seat electric high-wing
in June 2009, and Randall Fishman, who's single-seat Electraflyer-C flew at length (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2IrNIExHbM" target="_blank">video</a>)
for the crowd at AirVenture Oshkosh
in 2008. Back in 2007, Sonex's John Monnet said the aircraft would fly
for one hour at low-speed cruise or for about 15 minutes in all-out
high-performance aerobatic operation. Evolution may
ultimately deliver different endurance figures.</p><div>
<br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p>Sonex's aircraft is currently powered by a 54kw brushless DC
electric motor. The motor is managed by a proprietary motor controller
and fed by a 14.5kw-hour lithium polymer battery group, which is
managed by a separate system. For now, flight testing will be limited to
deliberate measured steps as the project continues to develop. And
progressive testing is expected to continue. The team is
already developing its next-generation motor and motor controller
designs.</p>
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