title: Air Energy AE-1 Silent
text: # Air Energy AE-1 Silent
  
  The Air Energy AE-1 Silent is a German self-launching ultralight sailplane powered by an electric motor. Designed and built by Air Energy, the AE-1 Silent is also marketed by Alisport of Italy, see Alisport Silent 2 Targa. It first flew in August 1997.
  
  ## Design and development
  
  The Silent is a conventional composite monoplane glider with a retractable 13 kW (17 hp) electric motor driving a 1.92m propeller.
  
  The aircraft was originally marketed with a nickel–cadmium battery pack, but in 2005 this was replaced with a lithium polymer battery system that gives three times the range of the early installation.
  
  ## Specifications
  
  Data from manufacturer
  
  General characteristics
  
  * Crew: 1
  * Wingspan: 12 m (39 ft 4 in)
  * Wing area: 10.3 $m^2$ (111 sq ft)
  * Aspect ratio: 14
  * Empty weight: 195 kg (430 lb)
  * Gross weight: 300 kg (661 lb)
  * Powerplant: 1 × Battery-powered electric motor , 13 kW (17 hp)
  
  Performance
  
  * Maximum speed: 180 km/h (112 mph, 97 kn)
  * Service ceiling: 2,000 m (6,560 ft)
  * Rate of climb: 2.2 m/s (433 ft/min)
  * Rate of sink: 0.78 m/s (154 ft/min)
  