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World's First Aerobatic Aircraft Featuring Four Electric Motors

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This week at the Green Aviation Show in Paris has been unveiled by EADS, the parent company of Airbus, the latest  aerobatic airplane with four electric motors.

According to the maker, this airplane has just one seat. Compared to the massive A380, Cri-Cri could be considered a toy. Being the first electric powered, fully aerobatic four engine aircraft, it has caught the attention of the aviation world.

Based on the tiny twin engine Cri-Cri airplane developed by Michael Colomban in France during the 1970s, it is touted by EADS as a technology demonstrator.

The company claims it can fly up to 30 minutes, being capable of aerobatic maneuvers. To help compensate for the extra weight of the batteries, the original aluminum structure was replaced with a composite airframe.

Due to its small dimensions (a wingspan of just under 13 feet), the Cri-Cri was considered the smallest twin engine airplane in the world, since it was first produced, so the latest electric version, equipped with lithium batteries and four brushless motors (with counter rotating propellers) gave a little headache to its designers, who had to fit everything in the same space. EADS announced in a press release that at the end of this week are expected the first flight tests.

[Source: Wired]

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