On July 19, 2009, the Flightstar e-Spyder flew at South Woodstock doing two flights about 10 minutes each. The plane reached an altitude of 400 feet and speeds of up to 55 mph, according to this article in Wired that mentions that the ultralight should be available for sale within the next four months with a price tag somewhere around $24,000.
The plane meets ultralight regulations. It carries a 20-kilowatt brushless motor (approximately 27 hp) developed by Yuneec International of China. Furthermore, it has two 28-pound battery packs with lithium polymer batteries, and a controller. It takes about three hours to recharge the batteries from a 220-volt circuit. Estimated flight time on a fully charged system is approximately 40 minutes.
Electric airplanes are expected to be a big draw at next week's AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wis., where multiple models will be on display.
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Such planes could change society. Imagine a world without roads and highways. The image below illustrates the concept of Communities without Roads, as further discussed in Small houses - perfect for communities without roads.
As you may be aware, electric planes have been around for some time. I have been fascinated for years by Antares powered gliders, in particular the Antares 20E (Wikipedia).
Normally, gliders are towed aloft by a powered airplane or by a long rope behind a vehicle accelerating down a runway, or by a winch tow launching the glider by winding a cable up around a motor-driven drum. To climb without such assistance, gliders circle upwards in thermal updrafts found under cumulus clouds. This allows gliders to sometimes cover distances of over 500 miles.
Powered gliders such as the Antares 20E can take off and climb without assistance, and can also cover long distances, but only as long as the battery lasts. Without battery power, they can only stay in the air if they manage to catch good updrafts and if the weather conditions are right.