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 for the special requirements of the new electric glider elfin. Retractable blades are a unique and proven solution combining efficient front propulsion if needed with zero drag when the plane is in soaring mode. With its high-tech propeller the elfin reaches outstanding performance in both worlds. The propeller blades retract completely into the plane’s nose so that the perfect aerodynamics of the high-performance glider is preserved – and its beauty fully unfolds.
Nose cone movement, activation and operation of the electric power flight is controlled via a single-lever, minimizing the procedure and risk of failure for pilots who thus can keep focused on flying the aircraft. Switching between gliding and powered mode just takes some seconds! No remarkable change of drag and center of gravity can be expected while changing from one mode to the other.
The three-blade propeller is optimised for the needs of the electric propulsion. Blades are unfolded by centrifugal forces while especially developed electronic and mechanical technology ensure smooth movements in and out and minimal impact on parts and structure. Experience in technology and high-tech materials led into a mainly carbon-made propeller unit guaranteeing the highest safety standards, longevity and trouble-free operation.
The change from the two blades folding propeller that Reiner Stemme had patented for the S10 series to the new three blade propeller is providing clear advantages to the elfin: It is not only optimized for electric drive but shows significantly lower noise profile due to the lower speed necessary to deliver the needed thrust, and a lower vibration as well, as the nose cone is nearly round now. Needless to say that this propeller design ensures its use in the perfect position at the front of the aircraft, where the thrust is positioned best at single engine aircraft.
This is performance data you like to hear about: Take-off 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 of up to 185 km/h / 100 kts TAS. Find more performance data here
Electric - the Future Way of
Powered Flight
The future of aviation is electric. Electric flying is not only friendly to the environment, it is also powerful and reliable. You will be amazed about the low noise levels of elfin’s electric motor in- and outside of the cockpit which seems like complete silence compared to traditional combustion engines. Low vibration levels increase the comfort and joy of flying further to arrive at a new and pleasurable feeling in powered flight. Enjoy the comfort of electric flying for travel and touring with your elfin.
The elfin is powered by an EMRAX 268 electric motor, made by the Slovenian manufacturer EMRAX d.o.o. with ample development and application experience in various fields of electric propulsion. Applying a powerful 65 kW (88 hp) to the unique elfin folding propeller, the EMRAX 268 ensures a climb rate of at least 3 m/s (590 ft/min).
At a weight of only 20 kg the electric motor is compact enough to be installed right at the aircraft’s front end without shifting the center of gravity or causing undesirable drag. The entire system design is optimised and the engine directly flanged to the propeller. So, no gearbox is needed, saving weight and doing away with a technical part that creates frequently substantial maintenance cost and also shows significant failure rates.
The extremely fast availability of the full power level is one more remarkable safety feature of elfin’s electric motor. It allows among other things for a quick initiation of go-arounds. Needless to say that elfin’s combination of electric motor and a retractable propeller is the optimal solution to delete drag and center of gravity changes when the pilot switches from soaring to powered flight mode or vice versa.
This is performance data you like to hear about: Take-off 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
The side-by-side cockpit is rare in the glider world, but it gives so much more joy and the good feeling of sharing the amazing experiences of marvellous flights. The elfin’s cockpit is pleasantly comfortable and the huge canopy for a fantastic panoramic view for both pilots seated in the front of the wings.
To protect your health we use state-of-the-art design, technologies and materials to make the cockpit as crash-safe as possible.
A low-level sill allows for an easy access to the cockpit for both pilots. This is even more convenient if you prefer to fly with your own parachute, despite the onboard ballistic rescue system making it unnecessary.
Battery
The battery technology enjoyed big advances over the last years so that aviation can now benefit from them safely. Overheating is no longer a threat, as long as the correct battery type is chosen. Furthermore their longevity has strongly increased, keeping their performance outstanding for a very high number of loading cycles.
Depending on your preferences you can fit your elfin with more or less 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 feature integrated fuel tanks with a capacity of 45 litres each. They enable the elfin to go, with a range extender, on long-range flights of up to 1.100 km / 600 NM. They can compensate either occasional lacks of fast battery refilling options or complement the limited range of pure electric-powered flight.
Wing tanks for water
Water tanks in both wings can take up to 100 kg of ballast water in total to increase wing loading and speed up the aircraft in soaring mode.
Flaperons
Performance optimised
Flaperons running along the whole wingspan allow for the perfect adjustment of the airfoil to flown speeds. At the same time they enlarge the speed range of the aircraft and are part of the features that make the elfin a high-performance glider even capable for glider competition in the two-seater class.
This improves significantly the performance and speed along with providing even a noticeably smoother flight feel at higher speeds.