Pipistrel taurus motorized sailplane review by dan johnson
Development
Developed by Pipistrel as one of the first self-launched glider in the microlight category the design used the wings of the Pipistrel Sinus with a new two-seat side-by-side fuselage. To enable the Taurus to self-launch a pop-out propeller is mounted on the rear fuselage driven by a Rotax 503 piston engine. In 2007 the company developed the Taurus Electro with the piston engine replaced by a permanent magnet synchronous three-phase brushless motor.
Variants
Taurus 503
Variant powered by Rotax 503 pop-up piston-engine.
Taurus Electro
Variant with a Sinedon 40 hp (30 kW) electric motor replacing the piston engine; first flown in 2007. It was the first electric motor glider to achieve series production.
Taurus PUREGLIDER
Unpowered variant without engine fitted.
Taurus Electro G2
Introduced in February 2011 as a two-seat self-launching sailplane, powered by a 40 kW (54 hp) engine and lithium batteries. Powered endurance is 17 minutes, intending to allow for self-launching to an altitude of 2000 m (6500 ft), after which the engine is retracted and the aircraft then soars as a sailplane.
Taurus G4
One-off twin fuselage, four seat version, based on the Taurus Electro and acting as an engine development test bed for their forthcoming Panthera four seat hybrid. It has a 150 kW (201 hp) motor mounted on the central wing section between the fuselages. With two people on board, it was the winner of the Green Flight Challenge held in September 2011, covering 403.5 passenger miles per gallon gasoline equivalent and receiving the $1.35 million prize donated by NASA.
