Xenos 59 Electric Build

[Xenos 59]

FYI I started Zero Motorcycles and ran R&D there for 7 years so I might have a little experience with these drive systems ;p

To be clear, this is the exact same belt model (Gates GT Carbon 8mm pitch) that the Zero Motorcycle uses with this exact same drivetrain. Additionally we actually made it 50% wider (21mm vs 14mm), because everyone thinks it looks too skinny. If the "skinny" 14mm belt can survive 20,000 miles of beating and banging in a motorcycle, it should be an easy life for it in an aircraft where the loads are much more consistent, and it's not eating rocks and dirt all the time. We also use a larger tooth count drive sprocket which gives a lot more wrap and tooth engagement, all of which combined makes the belt life a complete non-issue. There are over a dozen flying E-Gull's, using a smaller driver sprocket and the 14mm wide belt, and they have experienced no issues so far, with many, including mine, having more than several hundred hours of operation. I'll take empirical evidence over "eyeball" engineering any day :)

Additionally this design was validated using gates design documentation and software. I welcome and invite anyone's input.

https://assets.gates.com/content/dam/ga ... 5_2011.pdf
https://www.gates.com/us/en/knowledge-c ... tware.html

[Bryan Cotton]

I'll take empirical evidence over "eyeball" engineering any day :)

Amen Brother! Sounds like you have some cool and relevant experience.

[Xenos 59]

I'll take empirical evidence over "eyeball" engineering any day :)

Amen Brother! Sounds like you have some cool and relevant experience.

Sound like you do as well! Is that a Sikorsky Cypher pic as your avatar?

[Bryan Cotton]

It is! That was the Wankel powered UAV. The follow on had those horrible two-strokes.

[Xenos 59]

My recent podcast. May answer some questions.

http://www.sonexflight.com/71/index.html

[WesRagle]

This is very cool stuff. Motor gliders and very light aircraft are obviously the best way to exploit the current state of technology, but ...

A while back I was day dreaming about going faster and further with electric power and thinking about what might be a good (existing) air-frame to convert. I don't know much about the airframe, but this is what I came up with, the mini-imp C model.

Ref: https://www.mini-imp.com/

Admittedly you're back to a selfish single place, but the airframe does seem about perfect for a fast electric airplane. The advertised glide ratio is 20:1 @ 90 MPH and the C model is designed to carry a heavier engine. The engine, fuel, pilot, and baggage are all relatively close to the center of lift. They talk about incorporating drop tanks to extend the range (which sounds perfect for added capacity in a distributed form). I assume the big concern about torsional resonance could be at least lessened with an electric motor.

I don't know, but from the perspective of a day dreamer it seemed like it would be a fun project.

Wes

[Xenos 59]

That things pretty slick! I also really like the Sonerai and the Moni. But if money was no object, I'd get a goshawk, or an Onix. Or maybe a Risen... or...

https://www.windward-performance.com/gosHawk.html
https://www.pure-flight.eu/
http://www.flyrisen.com/indexEn.html

[WaiexN143NM]

hi gabe,
this is way cool! all of us were watching, went to the oshkosh forums on electric power and flight, and specifically
the sonex forums on the electric waiex.
I’ve been watching the e gull , mark b. ‘s design, . way cool. he seems to indicate at fly in interviews that he went to the zero factory and bought the motors? . will zero sell just the needed parts? or do you need to buy a ‘donor’ bike?
your package for the xenos is a 40kw/ 55 hp? im interested in the new 82kw/110 hp unit. for a waiex.
the area where the fuel tank used to be, maybe use that for more battery capacity?
Keep us up to date on your progress. I’m interested in any parts u may offer.
Are u based out of watsonville? KWVI. Look for robert s. ‘the frisco’ on here i helped locate a good buy of a jab tri gear sonex out of henderson nv. it should be parked out on the ramp at wvi.
keep up the good work.
Would love to come down some day from sf to see your project when this pandemic is over.
thanks to jeff for the podcasts.
also we need to petition the faa to include electric power for lsa. they said power needed to be recip for lsa, i believe to keep turbine power out.
WaiexN143NM
Michael

[Xenos 59]

Hi Michael, thanks for the tip with "The Frisco", I'd really love to have a look at a complete Sonex as I build mine.

When I ran R&D for Zero, I sold Mark B. the one and only powertrain Zero aver sold for aviation. Then the lawyers found out, and now they will have nothing to do with it. You have to buy a donor bike.
My package for the Zenos is from a Zero Motorcycles 14.4 SR. It has 60kw/80hp! More than the aerovee it replaced.
The 82kW system would be amazing in a waiex, just a little electric rocket-ship. I'd love to help on a project like that.

Come down any time you like!

[Xenos 59]