Facts & Features
The future is now
The Elfin is packed with cutting-edge technology: Three-blade folding propeller, state-of-the-art electric motor, high-capacity high-safety batteries, hybrid range extender, side-by-side panoramic safety cockpit, ballistic aircraft rescue system, retractable landing gear, flaperons, steerable and 360° rotatable tail wheel, wing folding system.
The Unique RS-3
Folding Propeller
The unique new Reiner Stemme RS-3 folding propeller is tailored to the special requirements of the new electric glider elfin. The retractable blades are a unique and proven solution that combines efficient forward propulsion when needed with zero drag when the aircraft is soaring. With its high-tech propeller, the elfin achieves outstanding performance in both worlds. The propeller blades retract completely into the nose of the aircraft, preserving the perfect aerodynamics of the high-performance glider – and revealing its full beauty.
Nose cone movement, activation and operation of the electric motor are controlled by a single lever, minimizing the procedure and risk of error for the pilot, who can concentrate on flying the aircraft. Switching between gliding and power mode takes only a few seconds! There is no noticeable change in drag and center of gravity when switching from one mode to the other.
The three-blade propeller is optimized for electric propulsion. The blades are unfolded by centrifugal force, while specially developed electronic and mechanical technology ensures smooth entry and exit and minimal impact on parts and structure. Experience in technology and high-tech materials has resulted in a propeller unit made mainly of carbon, which guarantees the highest safety standards, longevity and trouble-free operation.
The change from the two-blade folding propeller patented by Reiner Stemme for the S10 series to the new three-blade propeller has clear advantages for the elfin: It is not only optimized for electric propulsion, but also has a significantly lower noise profile due to the lower speed required to achieve the necessary thrust, and also less vibration, since the nose cone is now almost round. Needless to say, this propeller design ensures its use in the perfect position at the front of the aircraft, where the thrust is best positioned in single-engine aircraft.
These are performance data you want to hear: Takeoff roll on unpaved and dry RWY is 250 m (820 ft) and climb rate 3 m/s (590 ft/min) and a typical cruise speed up to 185 km/h (100 kts TAS). Find more performance data here
Electric - the future of
powered flight
The future of aviation is electric. Electric flying is not only environmentally friendly, it is also powerful and reliable. You will be amazed by the low noise level of the elfin electric motor inside and outside the cockpit, which seems like complete silence compared to traditional combustion engines. Low vibration levels increase the comfort and enjoyment of flying even more, giving you a new and pleasurable feeling in powered flight. Enjoy the comfort of electric flight for traveling and touring with your elfin.
The elfin is powered by an EMRAX 268 electric motor, manufactured by EMRAX d.o.o., a Slovenian company with extensive development and application experience in various fields of electric propulsion. Applying a powerful 65 kW (88 hp) to the elfin’s unique folding propeller, the EMRAX 268 ensures a climb rate of at least 3 m/s (590 ft/min).
Weighing only 20 kg, the electric motor is compact enough to be installed at the front of the aircraft without shifting the center of gravity or creating unwanted drag. The entire system design is optimized and the motor is directly flanged to the propeller. This eliminates the need for a gearbox, saving weight and eliminating a piece of technology that is often expensive to maintain and has a high failure rate.
The extremely fast availability of full power is another remarkable safety feature of the elfin electric motor. It allows, among other things, a quick initiation of go-arounds. Needless to say, the combination of elfin’s electric motor and retractable propeller is the optimal solution for eliminating drag and center of gravity changes when the pilot switches from gliding to powered flight or vice versa.
These are performance numbers you want to hear: Takeoff roll on unpaved and dry RWY is 250 m / 820 ft, a climb rate of 3 m/s / 590 ft/min and a typical cruise speed of up to 185 km/h / 100 kts TAS. Find more performance data here
Side-by-side cockpit comfort
Side-by-side cockpits are rare in the paragliding world, but they bring so much more enjoyment and the good feeling of sharing the amazing experiences of beautiful flights. The elfin’s cockpit is pleasantly comfortable and the huge canopy provides a fantastic panoramic view for both pilots sitting in the front of the wings.
To protect your health, we use state-of-the-art design, technology and materials to make the cockpit as crash-safe as possible.
A low entry sill gives both pilots easy access to the cockpit. This is even more convenient if you prefer to fly with your own parachute, although the onboard ballistic rescue system makes it unnecessary.
Rechargeable Battery
Battery technology has come a long way in recent years, and aviation can now safely benefit from it. Overheating is no longer a threat, as long as the right type of battery is chosen. In addition, their lifespan has been greatly increased, so that their performance remains excellent for a very high number of charge cycles.
Depending on your preferences, you can equip your elfin with more or fewer battery packs.
Undercarriage
The retractable undercarriage and steerable tail wheel ensure full independence in operation. Taxiing under power is safe and easy. Ground handling and hangaring are eased by unlocking the tail wheel to a 360° swivel.
The main landing gear and tail wheel are retractable to ensure an aerodynamically smooth shape for the best performance in both – gliding and electric-powered flight.
Ballistic Rescue System
We want you to come down safely in any, also the worst case, so your elfin will come with a ballistic rescue system as a standard equipment! It is easy to release and also passengers without flying experience can release it if necessary, while it is protected against unintentional use, of course.
Even in lower altitudes the ballistic rescue system is able to save your life and bring you down safely. We chose BRS Aerospace as partner for our aircraft rescue parachute system, they are the most experienced and rescued already more than 440 lives.
Foldable wings
A common problem: A 65.7 ft / 20 m wingspan is not easy to hangar or it is even impossible to get hangar space for that size. This is no problem for elfin: A simple one-man operation reduces the wingspan to 33 ft / 10 m. You can even taxi the aircraft in this configuration, if you have not enough space available on your airfield.
elfin provides a unique solution: Get the wing over the fuselage via a turntable that rotates the folded wing lengthwise – for a. hangar space of only 11.5 m x 1.5 m ( 37.9 ft x5.0 ft).
Range Extender
Far away is not far enough
The battery-stored electric power gives you not enough range? Electric flying can also be limited by patchy charging infrastructure. The Range Extender, a small rotary combustion engine, is the elfin solution: It can propel the aircraft with up to 90 l of fuel from the plane’s tanks by recharging the batteries via an onboard generator.
Get more power everywhere, immediately
Are you going on a longer trip and can’t wait for the batteries to charge? Refuelling for the Range Extender is possible at nearly every airfield, increasing your independence even further.
Travel and touring
The range extender makes the elfin the even better aircraft for all the travel and touring. The rotary engine ensures the comfort of smooth flying close to the feeling of the pure electric drive. It extend your elfin’s range to up to 600 NM / 1.100 km – enough for most trips you want to do in one go!
Tanks
Wing tanks for fuel
Both wings have integrated fuel tanks with a capacity of 45 liters each. They allow the elfin to fly up to 600 NM / 1,100 km with a range extender. They can either compensate for the occasional lack of quick battery recharging facilities or supplement the limited range of electric-only flight.
Wing tanks for water
Water tanks in both wings can hold a total of up to 100 kg of ballast water to increase wing loading and speed up the aircraft in gliding mode.
Flaperons
Optimized performance
Full span flaperons allow the airfoil to be perfectly matched to the flying speed. At the same time, they increase the speed range of the glider and are part of the features that make the elfin a high performance glider that can compete in the two seater class.
This significantly improves performance and speed and provides a noticeably smoother flight at higher speeds.