When you think of aircraft, the words compact and accessible don’t necessarily spring to mind. The team at e-Go aeroplanes is trying to change that with their new microlight, the first of which recently rolled off the production line into the hands of the first customer. Made of lightweight carbon fiber, the e-Go is powered by a compact Wankel rotary engine and sports a removable canard and wings so it can be parked in your garage.

e-Go is compact and light(Credit: e-Go)

Born out of a competition run by the Light Aircraft Association in 2007, e-Go is built with low-cost flying in mind. Power comes from a 30-hp (22-kW) Wankel rotary engine, which is an adaptation of a Rotron engine designed for work in UAVs. In total, the power plant, which runs on on garage forecourt fuel, weighs 23 kg (51 lb) and boasts a fuel efficiency of 65 mpg (3.6 L/100 km) at a speed of 90 knots (104 mph/167 km/h).

The aircraft’s maximum take off weight is 595 lb (270 kg), which is 10 percent less than the UK’s limit for single seat deregulated aircraft, with the light weight figure coming thanks to a carbon pre-preg construction. The carbon fiber wings benefit from a foam core, while the aircraft also makes use of machined aluminum and steel for parts like the canopy hinges and undercarriage axles.

Power comes from a 30 hp Wankel rotary engine(Credit: e-Go)

Pilots draw on information from a large screen displaying flight instruments, engine monitoring, checklists and navigation. If using all this information while you’re actually in the air sounds a bit stressful, you can hook the e-Go up to a computer and use its cabin controls as a flight simulator.

There was no simulating when 70 guests got together in Conington, England to celebrate the handover of G-OEGO, the first production e-Go. Instead, they were treated to a display of the plane’s maneuverability from test pilot Keith Denison.

Serial production of the plane has now begun, with prices starting at £50,000 (US$70,700).

Source: e-Go

The e-Go aircraft is made of pre-preg carbon fiber, with foam in the wings(Credit: e-Go)

e-Go is a single seat deregulated aircraft(Credit: e-Go)

e-Go is designed to make flying more accessible(Credit: e-Go)

Maximum altitude is 10,000 ft(Credit: e-Go)

e-Go is based out of the UK, and is based around UK microlight rules(Credit: e-Go)

e-Go taking flight(Credit: e-Go)

You’ll need 300 meters of well maintained grass runway to take off(Credit: e-Go)

Fuel use is pegged at about 60 mpg(Credit: e-Go)

The wings can be demounted for easier storage(Credit: e-Go)

e-Go is the result of a 2007 design contest(Credit: e-Go)

A rendering of e-Go taking flight(Credit: e-Go)

e-Go has now entered series production(Credit: e-Go)

e-Go handed over its first plane in front of 70 people(Credit: e-Go)

Pricing starts at £50,000 for the e-Go(Credit: e-Go) | [Share this Article]