Bob
How about some operating parameters?
Jack Olantern
Okay , I see this melting its own tail off. The turbine is pointed right at the tail and with a composite construction you wouldn't even see the problem till it failed , some one tell me I am wrong .
Skyler Thomas
It's electric. There is no heating element other than pressure, which would diffuse significantly by the time the exhaust reached the tail.
Pat Pending
@Jack Olantern; Happily you would appear to be wrong :-)
This one seams to fly well with the same configuration of jet engine; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocEWmyjWOUM
The Skud
Brilliant thinking! Losing that whole "folding away" propeller / motor mechanism, both simplifies propulsion and saves weight for more useful payload. Small turbines have been pretty well bug-free for years, giving flexibility and enabling pilots to hunt thermals to increase duration - win / win!
EH
The engine is about 10000 euros all in, 390N thrust = 45lbf, The electric taxi/takeoff can operate without the jet running.
"Various fuels may be used including domestic kerosene, diesel (incl agricultural, recycled and bio-diesel types) paraffin, JetA1 and JP4.
Take-off and climb to 2500’ should consume about 6.5 litres of fuel (e.g. domestic kerosene at 45p/litre – Dec 2014) – a low launch cost. At cruise or cruise/climb the turbine thrust is reduced to about 20% and fuel consumption is less than 500cc/minute.
Planned fuel capacity is currently 34 litres (may change) and again, to reduce complexity, the wings are dry with all fuel in one fuselage centre section tank." - ProAirsport
Grunchy
They had a very similar story in the April 1966 issue of Popular Mechanics. It's even on the internet! https://books.google.ca/books?id=J9QDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA105#v=onepage&q&f=false
Bob
Where is the air intake for the turbine? What is the glide ratio? What is the speed envelope? What G stresses is it designed for? What is the takeoff distance? What is the climb rate? Are there retracing wheels on the wing tips?
christopher
Small jets are thirsty. This one drinks 2.5 liters per minute, so you get about 13 minutes of thrust from a full tank.
Ryan Gibbons
@True! Have they made any significant performance or efficiency gains in micro-turbine jet engines recently?
@Bob I guess we are gonna have to wait for that info. I hope they have a one and two person model for these. this would be a nice recreational aircraft for when I'm rich, in the future, hopefully. ;)