Dean Sigler
Dean Sigler was a technical writer professionally for 34 years, with a liberal arts background and a Master's degree in education. He writes the Sustainable Aviation and CAFE Foundation blogs. He has presented at several symposia and at several Experimental Soaring Association workshops. Part of the Perlan Project, he is a private pilot with a great love for low and slow aircraft.
E-Hawk in Paradise
A small group of students in a well-equipped private school have constructed an electric Experimental/Amateur-Built ultralight aircraft. They have done a spectacular job performing...
Electric Triplanes, Personal Sky Taxis, and Urban Mobility beyond Belief
The Third Annual Sustainable Aviation Symposium again promises to be the premier gateway to innovation, mind-expanding discussions, and a glimpse into the future that...
Prandtl Wing, Goldschmied Fuselage
Attendees at the 2017 Sustainable Aviation Symposium (held in San Francisco, California) could be forgiven their startle reactions when they confronted a science-fiction like...
CAFE Electric Aircraft Symposium, Part Three
The last six speakers closed out the afternoon session with aircraft, regulations, and ways to manage all the new traffic. Mark Moore, NASA, Silicon Valley...
CAFE Foundation Electric Aircraft Symposium, Part Two
John Langford: Aurora Flight Sciences and the Lightning Strike Dr. Langford opened the second day with background on strides his firm has made in creating...
Convergence at CAFE’s Electric Aircraft Symposium
The 10 Annual CAFE Electric Aircraft Symposium, held at the Marriot San Francisco Airport on May 19 and 20, visited topics of electric propulsion,...
Pioneers and New Directions
At the Sustainable Aviation Syposium, several speakers presented talks on controlling the coming wave of unmanned aerial systems traffic management (UTM). Part 3 of our coverage.
Motors, Batteries, Solar Cells and Hydrogen – Power for Future Flight
While we're still waiting for the battery breakthroughs that will let us fly infinite distances without recharging, several motors await energizing from whatever source is available. Speakers at the First Sustainable Aviation Symposium included solar energy, new battery chemistries, fuel cells and hydrogen, or even the regenerative power of the air itself in their presentations.
In Case You Missed it
Alternative Energies
Diesel engines, anyone? How about biofuel? More builders are turning to such alternatives in the name of fuel economy, while the industry awaits fuel cells and better batteries. By Dean Sigler.
Design Process: Wing Structure
Last month we started our discussion of wing design with a look at the...