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Update for Harbour Air’s first electric flight

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Due to weather outlook for Wednesday, Harbour Air has pulled their first electric flight ahead to Tuesday, Dec, 10. Today they did some taxiing and skipping runs in preparation. (www.harbourair.com) More...

Wolfgang Prigge
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doublethetrouble
doublethetrouble 4
Good luck with this. Might be some more decades until the first electric transatlantic flight with some payload...
Why is all this called "zero emission"? Like there is no emission for building such a plane or the power that is used. No question that there needs to be a change, but least be honest.
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ThinkingGuy
ThinkingGuy 9
I've heard some people use the term "displaced emissions" used, which I do think is a little more accurate.
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wopri
Wolfgang Prigge 5
The flights are emission free, not the building of the aircraft.
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rochcomeau
Roch Comeau 5
When comparing to fuel-based planes, they are zero emissions (for the flight portion). Factories can also work to reduce/eliminate emissions by shifting to renewable power, so emissions in the build process can and will come down as well.
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papaki
gus sarantakos 1
At least it's a step in the right direction.
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hlowden
hlowden 3
With petroleum powered airplanes, you have the option of taking less fuel on a shorter flight and carry more payload. With an electric airplane, you will always be stuck with essentially a “full fuel” load (battery) 100 percent of the time. So some flexibility in loading options will be lost.
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doughampton
Doug Hampton 2
Interesting point. Perhaps the option of a removable AUX battery for long flights???
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n555cf
rbt schaffer -1
Yeah, those electrons weigh a lot....
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SkyCargo
Calvin Chan 1
i take a seaplane last week i can smell fuel inside the plane when engine start
maybe electric can solve this problem
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porbob52
Bob Hearst 0
Ya wanna see fireworks wait til a Batt_Beave sinks in saltwater (electrolyte) and the hi voltage system does it's thing .
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linbb
linbb -5
Ok so now the big question, how much payload will it handle? Seems that electric car people kind of took a big hit in there parade last summer when the AAA did some research into true range. Seems there are things they don't want people to know, large decrease in range when using the AC or heat, then things like payload and weather take another bite. Think this is going to be another smoke and mirrors deal.
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wopri
Wolfgang Prigge 7
Harbour Air is less concerned about payload. Most of their flights are commuter flight from Victoria and Nanaimo and surrounding islands to downtown Vancouver and Vancouver airport.
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bentwing60
bentwing60 4
Ummm, not to seem too impertinent, but in the transportation business if fare payin Pax. aren't considered 'payload' then what is? In W&B calculations they are considered weight, just like freight, hence, 'Payload'. Not to be confused with 'useful load'.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/payload, (such as passengers or instruments).

You regular linbb down voters should have up voted him for presenting a valid consideration without once using the term 'troll'!

Not that it really matters, but, since the madding crowd these days vote based on name recognition, as opposed to a cogent response, the vote seems more an invalid impeachment than a valid consideration of the information presented. JMHO.
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wopri
Wolfgang Prigge 5
The Beaver as used by Harbour Air does not need as much payload capacity as a Beaver in its typical use as bushplane, loaded with camping and hunting gear and maybe a moose carcass and canoes.

Harbour Air will probably use the first modified Beaver as a proof of concept for their 20 to 30 minutes flights, ferrying commuters between Victoria, Nanaimo, Vancouver and the islands. That’s why I mentioned they are not as concerned about payload.
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bentwing60
bentwing60 4
Unperceived on my part, point taken, I won't abandon mine. If the battery powered Beaver is a success in a niche market, with a niche market airplane, then more power to them and technology marches on. The capitalist broomstick usually wins.

My career spanned the intro. of ARNAV, LORAN, GPS, TCAS and TAWS. Let's just say there has been a promise or two tech. wise (MLS) during that time period that didn't reach fruition and a few never skeptical ATP's that wound up in an NTSB report. Adieu.
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wopri
Wolfgang Prigge 3
I see no reason why you should abandon your point. For now, with battery technology as it is, electric flights will be a niche market, and Harbour Air fits this description very well, even though they have about 500 000 passengers per year on 30 000 flights, making this a very comfortable niche.

As battery technology evolves we might see a different picture in the not too distant future. For example, in less than 10 years battery cost for electric cars went down from 1100$ per kWh to an average of ~150$, with Tesla M3 at about 120$ and VW I.D.3 at ~100$. The next generation of batteries will be even less costly and lighter as well.
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bentwing60
bentwing60 1
In that 'never the last word vein', how many of those truly accomplished bush Beaver pilots with a 'full load' presented a W&B form to a fed. with a moose, canoe and 4 pax. onboard at arrival? Just sayin'.
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wopri
Wolfgang Prigge 5
That‘s hunters secret! My brothers in law tell lots of stories about their experiences with bush pilots. By the way, in the load you also have to consider a week’s supply of beer!
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bentwing60
bentwing60 3
A truce, you are a worthy adversary!
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porbob52
Bob Hearst -1
My 744 driver buddy Pei says deploy the RAT motor in cruise to charge the batt's.

The 'greenies' on board will think it's PERPETUAL MOTION !!!!


Long live petro !
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bentwing60
bentwing60 -1
Well put!
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