Frequently Asked Questions
Why is NOVA only being designed with a single seat?
Everyone who is interested in electric propulsion understands the issues with energy density of the batteries, making a two seat electric aircraft capable of an hours flight is totally possible but the cost increases significantly with the MTOW of the aircraft, as NOVA is designed to be a low cost solution for those looking for an inexpensive weekend flyer, it goes against the grain of the design goals.
Why a 'Pod & Boom'?
With the goal being an electric aircraft capable of 60+ minutes duration at a low cost, a pod and boom is a very logical design decision. The Pod minimizes the tooling and manufacturing costs while massively reducing the wetted area of the airframe at the same time. Add a low cost aluminum boom and you get a high performance, low cost fuselage.
You say £25,000 flying cost. What will the kit cost?
The current economic climate makes it hard to project the kit cost when the time comes, though currently, it is expected that the kit will be in the region of £14,000 for the airframe.
Can NOVA use other forms of propulsion?
NOVA is designed primarily for electric propulsion though future development in this area was considered and accounted for during the design.
Is NOVA aerobatic?
During the design stage, allowances were made where the fuselage and the wing carry through structure is rated for 6G. This means once NOVA has proven its design intent, a clipped wing variant will be developed that will be rated for aerobatics, subject to good performance & handling. The flight time will be greatly reduced but this would make NOVA possibly the cheapest aerobatic powered aircraft on the market!
Can NOVA be equipped with a Generator for a hybrid power system?
During the design of NOVA, a space in the upper fuselage is made available for the addition of a gen-set though TechFite is not pursuing this until such time that a cost effective gen-set is made available. A gen-set will undoubtedly improve endurance but at a cost.
What is NOVA constructed out of?
The forward fuselage, fin and spats are moulded from carbon fiber with a connecting aluminium tail boom. The wings are made from a composite main spar, foam ribs and plywood skin. This approach makes NOVA very cost effective as a moulded wing wont give that greater performance but would greatly increase the cost where a fiberglass over foam method would be heavier than need be... A detailed selection matrix was carried out to ensure that expensive moulds were kept to a minimum without compromising performance.
Is NOVA designed for a nose gear?
Allowances were made during the design so that a nose gear variant can be done though the drag penalty on the already very clean NOVA will create quite a large impact on the flight endurance. For now, only the tail dragger type is being developed.
With a low projected kit cost, does that mean a long construction time?
No! The kit is being designed for the first time builder. The kit is designed to be very complete with only the wings requiring a large table (no jigs needed!). I would expect the fuselage could be sat on its gear within 50 hours of work, ready to be fitted out with controls and systems.
When will NOVA kits be ready?
The target date for Kit production is late 2024. NOVA will only be made available when it is the best it can possibly be!
Is TechFlite looking for investment?
Possibly, getting NOVA to a flight ready stage is primarily funded by TechFlite, investment at the later stage for kit production will be needed at that time. Email in via the contact page to express your interest.
Where is TechFlite based?
Wales, United Kingdom.