Electric Motor & Power Source Selection for Small Aircraft Propulsion

The research conducted in this project is on electrical propulsion in aviation. A Cessna 172K aircraft with a Lycoming O-320-E2D piston engine serves as a baseline measurement. Investigation of the components required for electrical flight is performed, and components are selected based on market availability and operational performance criteria. This research focuses on electrical propulsion in the aviation industry, and is tailored to aircraft within the General Aviation sector leading to the following research question: Can current electric motor and battery technologies conceptually support flight operations for a Cessna 172K in terms of aircraft performance criteria? The results explore the potential for a fully-electric aircraft powered by means of batteries. A demonstrated flight is examined and the center of gravity is calculated

An Approach to Developing Partnerships with Industry

The Electrical Engineering Technology (EET) Department at Purdue University has developed a telecommunications curriculum to meet the increasing need for telecommunication professionals. Our partnership with GTE Mobilnet was instrumental to the success of the telecommunications curriculum and laboratory development. GTE Mobilnet provided $90,000 in matching funds for an NSF Instrumentation and Laboratory Improvement (ILI) grant. However, a partnership is more than just a donation; GTE Mobilnet also provided a faculty summer internship and provided expertise in developing the advanced telecommunications laboratory. Developing an advanced telecommunications laboratory requires upto -date knowledge of the telecommunications industry. By offering the services of their top engineers and technicians, GTE Mobilnet provides the resources needed to design an advanced telecommunications laboratory and curriculum that will meet current and future needs of the telecommunications industry. This par..