www.PSFmagazine.com | November-December 2019 | 15 14 | November-December 2019 | Powered Sport Flying Innovations 2019 Innovation Showcase at AirVenture 2019 Look closely at the power plant shown above. What is your guess: Electric motor? Rotary engine as in Wankel? Turbine? Two-stroke hybrid? If you selected any of the above, you would be wrong on all counts. The answer is a 12-cylinder 4-stroker and in this example, turning counter-rotating props. More information on this later. This year I prowled the AirVenture grounds searching out new things in aviation suitable to us little guys, or for what might be coming down the ‘runway’ for the big guys that could trickle down to us. Most of my attention was directed to the Innovation Showcase located near the nasa tent and the eaa Blue Barn. Innovation Showcase was initiated in 2015 as a venue providing opportunities for innovators wishing to display their ideas, prototypes, and actual working demonstrators without having to incur the usual vendor fees. eaa does not endorse any of these displayed aircraft, they are only providing entrepreneurs an opportunity for exposure. From an application list of over 150 innovators, about two dozen companies having real market potential to impact general and recreational aviation were selected. This year, TransportUP was the sponsor, starting the week with a reservation-only breakfast followed by a Power Point describing the future of what now is called Urban Air Mobility. by Paul D. Fiebich UAM’s goal is to invest and manufacture short-haul air taxis and personal commuter aircraft. Understandably, while exploring this goal, many known (and likely many unknown) related issues need to be addressed. You will be hearing more about uam in many upcoming aviation magazines. uams and Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be to the 2020’s what plastics was to the movie “The Graduate.” Now, back to the lead photo and opening question. What you see is called a four-stroke Radial Exponential Engine. It can be made with one or two 6-cylinder air or watercooled banks of pistons. Each bank produces 60hp; the 1-1/2” diameter pistons have dual ignition and two (yes two) power strokes per revolution while each bank drives one of the contra-rotating propellers. The engine can run on either bank alone; essentially, this is similar to having a twin-engine airplane. It’s promoted as being Fail-Safe. Although the stated applications are for private aircraft, cars, motorcycles, stationary power generators, etc., can you imagine how it could affect the lsa and Ultralight market? Let’s keep our eye on this technology! Contact Frank Ardezzone at www.exponentialengine.com for more information. I often refer to flying my experimental AirBike as it being a “motorcycle in the sky.” Well, Assen Aeronautics has an experimental Vertical Take Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft that is actually ridden like a motorcycle. Its lift comes from three ducted fans powered by a unique hybrid gas engine/electric generator combination that fits under the seat. This has to be the ultimate example of motorcycle riding in three-dimensional space. Named the H1 Explorer, it fits within the Ultralight category and can fly for 20 minutes on its 57 kW electric motors/batteries. Recharging time is 40 minutes. Predicted flight time using the twin two-stroke gasoline engines alone is 55 minutes. Check out their website at assen.aero. The full-size example on display at AirVenture 2019 has been flown using an R/C controller. Six sequentially firing pistons produce two power strokes per rotation in this Exponential Engine designed by Frank Ardezzone. See what it looks like on the opposing page.
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