Check out this electric Beaver conversion

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Harbour Air VP of Maintenance and Manufacturing Shawn Braiden discusses the eBeaver, a partnership between Harbour Air and magniX. They hope the eBeaver will be STC'd to be the first electric aircraft to carry passengers.
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[frikkied]

I really like the realistic requirements in terms of payload and duration. It’s a breath of fresh air compared to many other companies in this space.

[brianb-p]

Thank you, Shawn Braiden, for realistic dates (for STC and commercial operation), truthful descriptions (such as " *one of* the first" commercial applications), relevant information (payload), and important steps (expected battery upgrade)... all of those examples in the first minute of the video, and the information continues.

[GlideYNRG]

I recently spoke to an instructor of mine who is instructing on the electric Pipistrel Alpha Electro as well. We've got a long way to go after a really good thorough informative discussion with him. I take my hat off to the folk going out and giving electric flight a good go. Hopefully they'll work out well in the right applications.

[MarcoNierop]

What Harbor air is doing is ground breaking! I have been following this for a few years now, I think the first electric flight is 2 or 3 years ago.. Its a bit long in the tooth with its STC certification.

With batteries getting better and with higher energy densities, the range should steadily increase to longer flight times.

But electric flying is here! No longer a pipe dream, its feasible and it gets more feasible every year with better and lighter batteries, better motors.

[SuperYellowsubmarin]

Finally a realistic timeline, 2 to 3 years to stc (not a new tc) with a flying prototype.

[ficelles]

I cannot wait to ride on that eBeaver!!

[flashbazbo]

Sure would be nice if the motor could go into regen during descent to add a little back to the battery.

[glike]

If the batteries where in the floats, they could be jettisoned in case of a fire, CG permitting. Also a very small turbine power generator could make be an emergency backup range extender for minimal weight. A modernized E-Beaver with bigger carbon wings would also allow for better range and endurance. This retrofit is not optimized at all, just a maximum simplicity retrofit. Consider how much better dedicated Tesla EV platforms are than universal EV/HEV/ICE platforms.

[coldlakealta]

from Harbour Air - Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

[tsbrownie]

I refuse to make any Electric beaver joke. Brooklyn nine nine comes to mind....

[TylerNs]

Why are the blade faces painted with tip stripes? That’ll be fantastic to stare at in flight with the sun behind you.

[johnfitzpatrick]

G, day from Sydney Australia.
Any changes to C of G (power plant weight)?
🇦🇺🌏

[chriswilliams]

It's a shame certification takes so long, electric planes are flying for years now, sadly authorities still do not realize this huge potential for getting this phantastic technology going.

[bjs]

Please do not use an annoying background music loop.

[aeroRCmodels]

So how many hours can this thing sit out in Alaska bush country before the battery loose all there charge staying warm?

[paulr]

One problem I see . This aircraft will be just as heavy on landing as takeoff. Piston or turbine powered the plane will get lighter as it flies, batteries don't. Seems like it could be a safety concern to me.

[sblack]

What is the round aluminum thing behind the motor that looks like an oil tank?

[USA-GreedyMenOfNoIntegrity]

No more 3.5% horsepower loss for every 1, 000 ft increase in density altitude! Add 3-4000W flexible solar panels later. Great job.

[piperg]

Oh, how wonderful! A heavy beaver with a one hour endurance! Just the ticket for unpredictable bush operations.

Gotta tell you EV buffs, all electric planes are hemmed in by physics. No dreams of solar cells on the wings, turbine hybrids, regen motors are ever gonna make this practical. AND dreams of more than slightly improved battery energy density are never going to escape the laws of physics.

If you want to fly, stick with a gasoline engine or a turbine. If you want to dream, go electric.

[maegenyoungs]

So a hard water landing won’t upset the batteries when hot..
I don’t know.. I love the idea of..
But they aren’t protected enough.
Hit a bird with the pontoon and pinch wires and see how what happens.
Personally there should be a release of pontoons incase batteries have a runaway