Electric MC30E Firefly Flies With New Motor

By Ric Reynolds, News Editor, EAA 642317

August 10, 2011 – Luxembourg Special Aerotechnics (LSA) announced the first flights of its model MC30E Firefly electric airplane powered by a new E-Motor electric propulsion system from Electravia. The flights took place August 1-2 with LSA founder/manager/test pilot Jean-Luc Soullier at the controls.

The airplane is a converted MC-30 Luciole design by Michel Colomban of Cri-Cri fame. The Luciole was originally powered by a two-cylinder internal combustion engine.

The 26-hp E-Motor gets energy from a 4.7-kWh Kokam battery, turning a two-blade E-Props propeller. The single-place aircraft also features specific instrumentation and optimized engine fairings.

Firefly’s empty weight including batteries is 113 kilograms (248.6 pounds), which is within European ultralight limits.  LSA claims a 55-minute flight duration in this present configuration.

After the first seven flights, tests results show a max climb rate of 6 m/sec (1,181 fpm), a top speed of 220 km/h (119 kts) in level flight, and 62 meters (189 feet) for takeoff runs. LSA claims Firefly’s noise levels measure 52 decibels at takeoff.

Christian VanDamme, Electravia technical manager, said the company exhibited at AERO in Friedrichshafen this year and would like to show the plane at AirVenture Oshkosh 2012.

To learn more about the aircraft, click here. See video from the recent flights here:

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