bikersrule07 (December 31, 1969 at 5:59 pm)

you are bang on sir, i was a electrical engineer,and i love people like freddytuber,who thinks the whole would can run on elec power,hmmm how and where would you get all this power from?...

tpvalley (December 31, 1969 at 5:59 pm)

actually there is a solar powered plane!A huge unmanned flying wing, takes hours to each height, it wasgoing to be used as a satelite altenative etc! as it could stay up for ages

tpvalley (December 31, 1969 at 5:59 pm)

Can u buy diesel at airports?or will this run on jet A?

Merlin2Stage2Speed (December 31, 1969 at 5:59 pm)

With light aircraft such as the 172, the power to weight ratio is an especially critical design element. Sure, there are a range of electric motors light enough and compact enough to fit the 172, with > 110Kw power ratings and high torque. But the excessive weight of the batteries that would be required to provide any decent sort of range effectively kills the concept of an electric powered 172. You'd never get the aircraft off the ground.

chrismd00 (December 31, 1969 at 5:59 pm)

You would never have enough energy from those solar panels. That is a foolish idea. That would never work in this plane. Look at the shape and size of current solar powered craft.

zfaylor (December 31, 1969 at 5:59 pm)

yea thats practical...or we could use diesel and run it on vegetable oil or atf or used motor oil or another one of the thousands of products a diesel can burn. i love how ppl like you think electricity comes from magic.

freddytuber (December 31, 1969 at 5:59 pm)

Who cares? Gas is dead and so is diesel! Make a brushless electric alternative with solar cells on the wings and forget reinventig these old technologies. The time to let them go is NOW. Use the 172, make it a 2 seater with a lot of batteries and park it in the sun to charge, then I will get one.

marick626 (December 31, 1969 at 5:59 pm)

its not been delayed, its no longer going to be made with thielert engines. Until they find an alternative, its not delayed, its gone basicaly.

triumphrider97 (December 31, 1969 at 5:59 pm)

The manufacturer of the engine Thielert has gone into insolvency and the founder and his CFO have been fired. They were accused of booking false sales to pump up the financial results.The Cessna Skyhawk TD has been delayed due to this action. Don't look for it anytime soon.

agcatdriver (December 31, 1969 at 5:59 pm)

Maybe to recereational pilots who only fly a hundred or so hours a year. I am chief pilot for a large pipeline patrol company (13 172's that each fly on average 1000 plus hrs a year) and we are SERIOUSLY considering this aircrft as an alternative.