After working closely with Alan Cocconi and AC Propulsion, San Dimas CA, we have finished the upgrades to the SUNSEEKER.

It now has a new bigger motor, planetary gearbox, and a free teetering folding propeller.

40 lbs of Lithium batteries are installed in the wings, with each cell being monitored for temperature and voltage by circuitry designed and built by ACP.

Also newly installed are custom peak power trackers to optimize the output from the solar panels.  In average sunlight conditions, level flight is just possible.  The output from Cocconi's trackers are displayed in the cockpit on the Vehicle Management System, adapted from ACP's electric car system.  This displays the batteries condition, and keeps the individual cells balanced.

After shake down flights to 15,000 ft, the SUNSEEKER was flown from Ramona to Tehachapi for the Labor Day weekend.

The Sailplane Builder's Western workshop was in progress, after which the SUNSEEKER was flown back to Ramona, mostly motoring, over the Mojave Desert, San Gabriel mountains, Ontario, and Lake Elsinore.  Flight time on the return was less than 3.5 hours.