French pilot sets big speed record in tiny electric airplane (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/01/french-pilot-sets-big-speed-record-in-tiny-electric-airplane-vi/

It may not be all that fast in the broader world of aircraft speed records, but French pilot Hugues Duval still has a fair bit to boast about with his latest accomplishment. Not only did he actually fly the aircraft pictured above -- which weights just 200 pounds and has a wingspan of 16 feet -- but he manged to hit a top speed of over 175 miles per hour, breaking his own record for the fastest all-electric airplane by about 15MPH. Not surprisingly, the plane itself (powered by two 35 horsepower electric motors and a pair of 1.5 kWh batteries) is better suited for short hops and the odd record attempt than any long-haul flights, as it's not able to fly for much more than 25 minutes at a time even at a more reasonable 65 miles per hour. Video after the break (en Français, of course).

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French pilot sets big speed record in tiny electric airplane (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Jul 2011 14:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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