NASA and Centennial Challenge partner organization, the Comparative Aircraft Flight Efficiency, or CAFE, Foundation of Santa Rosa, Calif., are encouraging aerospace enthusiasts to attend the Green Flight Centennial Challenge, set to be held at the Sonoma County Airport in Santa Rosa from Sept. 25 to Oct. 1.
Teams from across the United States will test electric, biofueled and hybrid-powered aircraft, vying to be the most fuel-efficient small aircraft in the world. They're competing for a competition purse of $1.65 million -- the largest aviation prize ever offered.
Competitors will tackle a fuel efficiency competition Sept. 27 and a speed competition Sept. 29. To win the fuel competition, an aircraft must fly 200 miles in less than two hours, using less than one gallon of fuel per occupant, or an equivalent amount of electricity. If more than one aircraft meets that criteria, the competitor whose aircraft delivers the best combination of speed and efficiency will take home the prize, according to the competition guidelines.
The Green Flight Challenge's winning aircraft must exceed a fuel efficiency equivalent to 200 passenger miles per gallon (pax mpge). In comparison, typical general aviation aircraft have fuel efficiencies in the range of 5-50 pax mpge. Large passenger aircraft are in the 50-100 pax mpge range.
The winning aircraft also must achieve an average speed of at least 100 mph over a 200-mile race circuit; take off from a distance of less than 2,000 feet to clear a 50-foot obstacle; and deliver a decibel level below 78 dBA at full power takeoff, as measured from a 250-foot sideline.
The Green Flight Challenge also marks the first time in history that full-scale, electric-powered aircraft will fly in competition. This competition will include the first four-seat, electric aircraft ever to fly, as well as the largest battery pack ever developed for a flight vehicle.
Thirteen teams led by America innovators initially took on the challenge. Five successfully completed aircraft and flight qualification requirements and remain in competition for the prize purse.
Ten of the competing aircraft, including many of those still in competition, will be on display Saturday, Oct. 1, at Sonoma County Airport from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. PDT. The public is invited to visit the competition area during the week of Sept. 26 - Oct. 1 between 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The PhoEnix airplane. The Phoenix Air team is led by Jim Lee from Florida. Their aircraft, PhoEnix, is an electric motor glider. It features a modified wing, electric motor, and a retractable landing gear.
Image credit: Phoenix Air Team
The focus of the Green Flight Centennial Challenge is to advance technologies in fuel efficiency and reduced emissions with cleaner renewable fuels and electric aircraft. Such technologies and innovations include, but are not limited to, bio-fueled propulsion; breakthroughs in batteries, motors, solar cells, fuel cells and ultra-capacitors that enable electric-powered flight; advanced high lift technologies for very short takeoff and landing distances; ultra-quiet propellers; enhanced structural efficiency built on advances in materials science and nanotechnology; and safety features such as vehicle parachutes and air bags.
The Green Flight Challenge is one of five current NASA Centennial Challenge technology prize competitions. The program, which began in 2005, is named in recognition of the first centennial anniversary of powered flight, and honored the legacy of the Wright Brothers and other American innovators. In the spirit of their endeavors, the Centennial Challenge prizes are offered to independent inventors who work without government support, including small businesses, student groups and individuals.
Conceptual image of the Synergy airplane. Team Synergy is led by John W. McGinnis, located in Montana. Their aircraft is a clean sheet design, featuring laminar flow, wake-immersed propulsion, open thermodynamics, subsonic area ruling, composite construction, and five seats. Synergy is currently registered and has met the FAA inspection.
Image credit: Team Synergy, John W. McGinnis
The prize competitions are targeted at a range of technical challenges that support NASA's missions in aeronautics and space. The goal is to encourage novel solutions from non-traditional sources. In the Centennial Challenge program, NASA provides the prize money and each of the competitions is managed by an independent organization.
NASA's Office of the Chief Technologist in Washington and the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. manage the Centennial Challenges program. Additional competition details and travel information may be found at the CAFE website.
Contacts and sources:
Dave Steitz
Headquarters, Washington
Janet Anderson
Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.
Teams from across the United States will test electric, biofueled and hybrid-powered aircraft, vying to be the most fuel-efficient small aircraft in the world. They're competing for a competition purse of $1.65 million -- the largest aviation prize ever offered.
Test pilot Mikhael Ponso test flies the Eco Eagle over the Daytona Beach area.
Credit: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Competitors will tackle a fuel efficiency competition Sept. 27 and a speed competition Sept. 29. To win the fuel competition, an aircraft must fly 200 miles in less than two hours, using less than one gallon of fuel per occupant, or an equivalent amount of electricity. If more than one aircraft meets that criteria, the competitor whose aircraft delivers the best combination of speed and efficiency will take home the prize, according to the competition guidelines.
Conceptual image of the Seraph, an experimental technology demonstrator aircraft that will be exhibited at the Green Flight Challenge.
IKE Aerospace
The Green Flight Challenge's winning aircraft must exceed a fuel efficiency equivalent to 200 passenger miles per gallon (pax mpge). In comparison, typical general aviation aircraft have fuel efficiencies in the range of 5-50 pax mpge. Large passenger aircraft are in the 50-100 pax mpge range.
The winning aircraft also must achieve an average speed of at least 100 mph over a 200-mile race circuit; take off from a distance of less than 2,000 feet to clear a 50-foot obstacle; and deliver a decibel level below 78 dBA at full power takeoff, as measured from a 250-foot sideline.
The e-Genius electric aircraft.
e-Genius team/Eric Raymond
The Green Flight Challenge also marks the first time in history that full-scale, electric-powered aircraft will fly in competition. This competition will include the first four-seat, electric aircraft ever to fly, as well as the largest battery pack ever developed for a flight vehicle.
Thirteen teams led by America innovators initially took on the challenge. Five successfully completed aircraft and flight qualification requirements and remain in competition for the prize purse.
Ten of the competing aircraft, including many of those still in competition, will be on display Saturday, Oct. 1, at Sonoma County Airport from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. PDT. The public is invited to visit the competition area during the week of Sept. 26 - Oct. 1 between 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The PhoEnix airplane. The Phoenix Air team is led by Jim Lee from Florida. Their aircraft, PhoEnix, is an electric motor glider. It features a modified wing, electric motor, and a retractable landing gear.
The focus of the Green Flight Centennial Challenge is to advance technologies in fuel efficiency and reduced emissions with cleaner renewable fuels and electric aircraft. Such technologies and innovations include, but are not limited to, bio-fueled propulsion; breakthroughs in batteries, motors, solar cells, fuel cells and ultra-capacitors that enable electric-powered flight; advanced high lift technologies for very short takeoff and landing distances; ultra-quiet propellers; enhanced structural efficiency built on advances in materials science and nanotechnology; and safety features such as vehicle parachutes and air bags.
Taurus G4 in flight. The Langelaan Aeronautics LLC / Pipistrel, based in Pennsylvania, is led by Jack Langelaan. Their aircraft is the Taurus G4. This twin fuselage motor glider features a 145 kW electric motor, lithium-ion batteries, and retractable landing gear. Vance Turner's team using a Pipistrel Virus SW aircraft was among the three teams that won prize money in the previous CAFE/NASA challenges -- the Personal Air Vehicle Challenge in 2007 and the General Aviation Technology Challenge in 2008. The Taurus G4 is currently flying. Langelaan Aeronautics LLC / Pipistrel is currently registered and has met the FAA inspection.
Image credit: Langelaan Aeronautics LLC / Pipistrel
The Green Flight Challenge is one of five current NASA Centennial Challenge technology prize competitions. The program, which began in 2005, is named in recognition of the first centennial anniversary of powered flight, and honored the legacy of the Wright Brothers and other American innovators. In the spirit of their endeavors, the Centennial Challenge prizes are offered to independent inventors who work without government support, including small businesses, student groups and individuals.
Conceptual image of the Synergy airplane. Team Synergy is led by John W. McGinnis, located in Montana. Their aircraft is a clean sheet design, featuring laminar flow, wake-immersed propulsion, open thermodynamics, subsonic area ruling, composite construction, and five seats. Synergy is currently registered and has met the FAA inspection.
The prize competitions are targeted at a range of technical challenges that support NASA's missions in aeronautics and space. The goal is to encourage novel solutions from non-traditional sources. In the Centennial Challenge program, NASA provides the prize money and each of the competitions is managed by an independent organization.
NASA's Office of the Chief Technologist in Washington and the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. manage the Centennial Challenges program. Additional competition details and travel information may be found at the CAFE website.
Contacts and sources:
Dave Steitz
Headquarters, Washington
Janet Anderson
Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.
Which of the airplane models actually passed the requirements? They all look pretty cool. The third photo has a very distinctive design. I wish I see one in person. =)
ReplyDeleteJoshua Green