Eric Scott Raymond
Encyclopedia
Eric Raymond is a Certified Flight Instructor, Glider (sailplane)
pilot, hang gliding
pilot and Designer
of Solar powered Aircraft
.
University education in Photography
and Aerospace engineering
. From San Diego, California
, now living in Slovenia
.
Eric starting flying model airplanes
as a child, designing and building his own model airplanes.
In his teenage years he started flying sailplanes, but switched to hang gliding. In hang gliding contests he became United States Hang Gliding Champion in 1979. He also set World hang gliding records and in 1983 and 1984 became World aerobatic champion.
Working for Paul MacCready
on unmanned aircraft, he met Gunther Rochelt and flew his Musculair II.
From this experience, and with help from Gunther Rochelt, Eric Raymond had the idea for his Solar powered aircraft
.
Eric founded Solar Flight and began construction of his design in 1986. Sunseeker I was test flown in 1989 as a glider. In early 1990 Solar powered flights were made with two brush motors driving a variable pitch propeller and then with Brushless motor driving a Folding propeller
.
In 1990 he flew it across the USA, and in 2009 he flew Sunseeker II all over southern Europe
. From 2006 - 2009 he worked for Bertrand Piccard
, building the Solar panels for the Solar Impulse
airplane.
In 2009 he started building a Solar powered version of the Stemme S10. Eric has received considerable press coverage for his efforts advancing both solar-powered and electric aircraft, most recently in 2011 as a team leader in the CAFE Foundation
Green Flight Challenge.
Glider (sailplane)
A glider or sailplane is a type of glider aircraft used in the sport of gliding. Some gliders, known as motor gliders are used for gliding and soaring as well, but have engines which can, in some cases, be used for take-off or for extending a flight...
pilot, hang gliding
Hang gliding
Hang gliding is an air sport in which a pilot flies a light and unmotorized foot-launchable aircraft called a hang glider ....
pilot and Designer
Designer
A designer is a person who designs. More formally, a designer is an agent that "specifies the structural properties of a design object". In practice, anyone who creates tangible or intangible objects, such as consumer products, processes, laws, games and graphics, is referred to as a...
of Solar powered Aircraft
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
.
University education in Photography
Photography
Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
and Aerospace engineering
Aerospace engineering
Aerospace engineering is the primary branch of engineering concerned with the design, construction and science of aircraft and spacecraft. It is divided into two major and overlapping branches: aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering...
. From San Diego, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, now living in Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
.
Eric starting flying model airplanes
Model aircraft
Model aircraft are flying or non-flying models of existing or imaginary aircraft using a variety of materials including plastic, diecast metal, polystyrene, balsa wood, foam and fibreglass...
as a child, designing and building his own model airplanes.
In his teenage years he started flying sailplanes, but switched to hang gliding. In hang gliding contests he became United States Hang Gliding Champion in 1979. He also set World hang gliding records and in 1983 and 1984 became World aerobatic champion.
Working for Paul MacCready
Paul MacCready
Paul B. MacCready, Jr. was an American aeronautical engineer. He was the founder of AeroVironment and the designer of the human-powered aircraft that won the Kremer prize...
on unmanned aircraft, he met Gunther Rochelt and flew his Musculair II.
From this experience, and with help from Gunther Rochelt, Eric Raymond had the idea for his Solar powered aircraft
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
.
Eric founded Solar Flight and began construction of his design in 1986. Sunseeker I was test flown in 1989 as a glider. In early 1990 Solar powered flights were made with two brush motors driving a variable pitch propeller and then with Brushless motor driving a Folding propeller
Folding propeller
A folding propeller is a type of propeller where the propeller blades fold in when the propeller is not in use, and out when the propeller is in use. This type of propeller is often used on sailing yachts to reduce drag while under sail. It is also used on microfilm model aircraft. Pros and cons of...
.
In 1990 he flew it across the USA, and in 2009 he flew Sunseeker II all over southern Europe
Southern Europe
The term Southern Europe, at its most general definition, is used to mean "all countries in the south of Europe". However, the concept, at different times, has had different meanings, providing additional political, linguistic and cultural context to the definition in addition to the typical...
. From 2006 - 2009 he worked for Bertrand Piccard
Bertrand Piccard
Bertrand Piccard is a Swiss psychiatrist and balloonist.Born in Lausanne, Vaud canton, Bertrand Piccard, along with Brian Jones, was the first to complete a non-stop balloon flight around the globe...
, building the Solar panels for the Solar Impulse
Solar Impulse
Solar Impulse is a Swiss long-range solar powered plane project being undertaken at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, by Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg. The project eventually hopes to succeed in the first circling of the earth with a piloted fixed-wing aircraft using only solar...
airplane.
In 2009 he started building a Solar powered version of the Stemme S10. Eric has received considerable press coverage for his efforts advancing both solar-powered and electric aircraft, most recently in 2011 as a team leader in the CAFE Foundation
CAFE Foundation
The CAFE Foundation is a U.S. non-profit aviation development and flight test organization based in Windsor, California. CAFE is an acronym for "Comparative Aircraft Flight Efficiency". The organization promotes experimental aviation activities which promote the development of highly efficient...
Green Flight Challenge.