Scooters safe for GA?

[motorboat]

Anybody have insight on battery operated electric scooters to carry around in GA aircraft? Seems like light excellent ground transportation assuming they don’t catch on fire inflight. I am imagining one with a removable battery that can be placed in a fireproof bag? Any intel appreciated…

 

[Lndwarrior]

I have one I bought for a around the US tour in my light sport plane. It was the lightest one I could find and it sucks.

If four or five pounds extra is not a problem consider one with some level of shock absorbers.

Rubber tires are good for vibration isolation but they have a bad habit of going flat at the worst times. I changed to solid rubber, but my ride is even rougher. But I don't have to worry about flats.

Most airports are within 3 to 5 miles of the attractions you'll likely visit so having a massive range may not be as important as a comfortable ride.

That's all I can think of.

 

[asicer]

Unless I'm flying somewhere where the ground transportation is part of the attraction, my limit is 30 minutes unless there's no other option.That is, if I have to spend more than 30 minutes walking then I will pack a bike/scooter. If I have to spend more than 30 minutes biking/scooting, I'll hail a ride. If the wait for pickup plus the ride itself is more than 30 minutes, I'll rent a car.

That said, here's a few of the previous threads. @schmookeeg had some of the more provocative comments/perspectives with respect to e-scooters, if you want to skip to the interesting bits (I wonder how he's doing. Haven't seen him here in a while).

Folding E-bicycle.

Has anyone looked into carrying a folding e-bike? I have a Skyhawk and I'm starting to look to find a bike that can be carried without removing the back seat.

www.pilotsofamerica.com

Last mile transportation

I don't know if this has been posted yet, if so, my bad. It looks like the new Honda Motocompacto just might be an appealing last mile option when you don't have access to crew or rental cars. Reasonable price, compact folded form factor, 42#, 12 miles on a charge, and recharges in 3.5hrs...

www.pilotsofamerica.com

Electric Scooter 2021

Looking for something for my wife and I to get into town/hotel from the local airport. 2-6 mile trip. Uber/Lyft/Taxi/rental are all possibilities but 6 miles would be a huge radius from so many airports. Any actual experiences with the current offerings?

www.pilotsofamerica.com

Last Mile (or 5)

Hi Everyone, Fist post on PoA, Tried to find a previous thread but didn't quite know the search terms to use. What light electric or human powered vehicles/tools do you use to close the last mile? I'm thinking of picking up a UL 2271/2272 compliant E-scooter, electric off-road longboard or...

www.pilotsofamerica.com

 

[William Pete Hodges]

I have an EUC, or electric unicycle. Once you get used to it it is easy to ride. It folds down to about 17x19x8 and weighs 30 lbs. You can carry it like a small suitcase or extend the trolley handle and walk it like a dog. You can turn the battery off for transport, but you can't remove it. I carry it in my car, truck and airplane. It is handy to have sometimes. Mine has a 15 mile range at 15 mph. I charge it about once a month and have over 300 miles on it. Look up "how to ride an EUC in 12 easy steps".

 

[William Pete Hodges]

Inmotion is having a 35% off sale on their 16" V8S for $700. 40 mile range, 22 mph top speed 35 lbs. 16 inch wheels are considered the best size to learn on.

 

[AlphaMike]

ETWOW GT SE SMART EDITION WITH BLUETOOTH AND REAR DRUM BRAKE

Love Your Commute! The design of the E-TWOW scooter offers a very stable and easy ride experience, we have perfected our electric scooter to safely satisfy all your transportation and commuting needs. The new generation of E-TWOW Scooters is here. More speed, more range and higher torque for...

e-twowusa.com

This is a newer version of the one I have. Only weighs 27lbs! I've had it for about 4 years with no issues. Mine tops out about 25mph and I consistently go 25 -30 miles on a full charge. It folds up nicely and fits easily in the baggage compartment of a 182.

 

[William Pete Hodges]

Inmotion is having a 35% off sale on their 16" V8S for $700. 40 mile range, 22 mph top speed 35 lbs. 16 inch wheels are considered the best size to learn on.

I got my new inmotion V8S this week. I already own a Kingsong 14D and have about 330 miles on it. I have only put less than a mile on the V8S and here is my initial comparison between the two. 1. The V8 rides a lot smoother and irregularities in the riding surface are not felt as keenly or not at all. This is because the wheel has a larger rolling surface and also requires less tire pressure for the same weight, both contributing to a smoother ride. 2. The response of the V8S is not quite as quick as the 14D, so it feels like riding a luxury in a car instead of an economy model. The acceleration and braking are both slower and smoother than the 14D, but still plenty for good control. 3. The V8S is taller than the 14D so it gives your leg more leverage and is easier to control. 4. The V8S is easier to mount and get your foot position correct easier than the 14D. Everything about the V8 is easier and more stable that the 14. But the 14D responds quicker, turns tighter, rides rougher, and accelerates / decelerates faster than the V8.

Here are side by side comparisons of the two. They are both 17 inches across, and the 14D is slightly wider with the pedals folded at 8 inches, while the V8 is about 7-7/8 or so. The V8 came with added ankle pads but I mounted them higher as that's where they felt better on my legs. It is really easy to turn the battery off or on. Just open the app, go to settings, and toggle transport mode. That way you can't accidentally turn the motor on with the power button.

I double checked, the V8S is still on sale for $700 at the inmotion store. That is less than I paid for my 14D 20 months ago, and the V8S has a lot more range. Hope this helps.

 

[AA5Bman]

I have thought about this and will probably buy a scooter or something similar eventually. But here’s the question: does anyone have experience taking these things on gravel roads?

 

[William Pete Hodges]

I have thought about this and will probably buy a scooter or something similar eventually. But here’s the question: does anyone have experience taking these things on gravel roads?

I have taken my 14D on a fair amount of gravel. It does well in packed gravel and grass that is not too bumpy, but not loose gravel or sand. The V8S with its larger 16" wheel is better but I haven't got a lot of time on that wheel yet. The scooters have very small wheels but I have no experience with them.

 

[455 Bravo Uniform]

I built an electric skateboard a few years ago, but I’m afraid (unreasonably so?) of the batteries catching fire in-flight, so I’ve never taken this most useful tool anywhere with me. I think a battery fire would be unsurvivable - the rate of smoke production, bright light, sound, and enough heat to cause structural damage.

How many minutes to lose altitude and find a safe off-airport spot to land? Even 2 minutes with one of those fires in a tiny spam can is a LONG time. Not worth the convenience.

Do those battery bags actually work? I need to YouTube em…

 

[GeorgeC]

Do those battery bags actually work? I need to YouTube em…

https://www.pilotsofamerica.com/community/threads/lipo-battery-fire-containment-bags.142974/

 

[SebIp]

For me it’s also the drivers on the roads you might take that worries me.

I have a new commute utilizing commuter trains. The stop is only about 5 km away. I thought about an ebike or scooter as way to go which bypass the traffic and also if I paddle give me a light workout. However, unless I am going to be able to do this everyday on the sidewalk, I am not taking that option cause around here you see the bike memorial popping up somewhere at least once a year.

 

[GeorgeC]

For me it’s also the drivers on the roads you might take that worries me.

I have a new commute utilizing commuter trains. The stop is only about 5 km away. I thought about an ebike or scooter as way to go which bypass the traffic and also if I paddle give me a light workout. However, unless I am going to be able to do this everyday on the sidewalk, I am not taking that option cause around here you see the bike memorial popping up somewhere at least once a year.

On the flip side of that, at least around here, from the perspective a motorist, e-bikes and e-scooters are in a zone of unpredictability. Will they kinda sorta obey the rules of a motor vehicle? A bicycle? A pedestrian? Will they use the bike lane? I suppose the insurance companies will eventually sort it out.

Any ER physicians in the house? Are e-thingies the new donorcycles?

Speaking of unpredictable, the delivery drivers on 49cc mopeds... no bag limit for the local PD.

 

[FORANE]

Any ER physicians in the house? Are e-thingies the new donorcycles?

Not an ER doc but we see a fair number of orthopedic trauma cases from e-thingies come through the OR. Just speculative on my part, the e-thingies tend to be run at slower speed than the donorcycles and the severity of injury will accordingly be less.

 

[asicer]

On the flip side of that, at least around here, from the perspective a motorist, e-bikes and e-scooters are in a zone of unpredictability. Will they kinda sorta obey the rules of a motor vehicle? A bicycle? A pedestrian? Will they use the bike lane?

e-bikes are pretty well classified and regulated. A physically fit rider on a conventional bicycle can easily outrun a conforming e-bike being operated on throttle-only.

Scooters, on the other hand, are an entirely different story.

 

[GeorgeC]

For any kind of vehicle, there are responsible operators and irresponsible operators.

If the question is "which class of vehicle does the most collateral damage when operated irresponsibly", I suppose the answer is whatever one is the cheapest/most readily available/most accessible; things that are expensive and/or require skill to operate tend to keep the riffraff out.

I can ride my bike fast on the trail, but I don't, because I don't want to mow down kids or the elderly or others for whom situational awareness and/or bodily control may pose a challenge.

I've come to expect that scooters will do random things. The rental mentality probably doesn't help here.

Anecdote: I'm driving, to my right is a bike lane. There is a guy on an electric bike (but it looks more like a small motorcycle) behind me, in the bike lane. I put on my right turn signal and slow way down, expecting the bike to pass me, because it's frowned upon to turn into the oncoming cyclist. Instead, homeskillet swerves around and passes me on the left. The point of having rules is so that nobody is surprised by what happens next...

Back to the original topic... we got a couple of hoverboards a few years ago. One has died, the other is falling apart. A onewheel looks like a lot of fun, but an e-scooter would probably be more utilitarian.

As far as being safe for GA, does your phone or tablet have a removable battery? Do you fly with it? if it's made by a legit company, I wouldn't think twice about it. If it's an alibabazon blue light special, maybe not.

 

[frfly172]

Gave some thought on purchasing an e bike foldable,.wouldn’t work for me to heavy for my plane,also I don’t trust the battery.

 

[iamtheari]

I have thought about this and will probably buy a scooter or something similar eventually. But here’s the question: does anyone have experience taking these things on gravel roads?

I have a pair of Ninebot KickScooter MAX G30P scooters. I have a stretch of gravel 1/4 mile long from my house to the pavement, part of which is a fairly steep grade. The scooters handle the gravel just fine. The problem I have with them is that the folding point is too high on the steering post, so even when folded they are both too tall and too wide to fit in the wing locker of a Cessna 310. I had to unbolt the handlebars so I could turn them and lay the scooters flat on their side in the locker. I haven't tried to lift them into the baggage compartment of the RV-14 but suspect it wouldn't be fun.

 

[GeorgeC]

I think a razor scooter or rollerblades might fit in my 140... maybe I should learn to skateboard?

 

[Silvaire]

I bought one with the same idea but after riding it around the airport decided there was no way I was going to take it out onto roads or streets. The difference between a scooter and a skateboard is that when you go down you'll be holding onto handlebars.

 

[William Pete Hodges]

Update on gravel. I am at the lake and have just finished 5 miles on gravel, grass and pavement. The 16" V8S does well on all these surfaces. It even went through some loose sand without trouble but I don't know how deep it was I am not saying it will do well on all sand. It did go through sand that stopped the 14D last year.

On the EUC I mostly follow pedestrian rules. If I am by myself I speed up, but around others I slow down and pick my way. I am good from 2-20 MPH so it is easy to pick and choose. I can always walk beside it with the travel handle.

 

[David Loftus]

I researched this extensively last year and decided to buy 2 TurboAnt X7 scooters that are easy to carry in my DA40. A great deal at $400 with excellent specs - 30-mile range, 20mph top speed, pneumatic tires for a smoother ride. Good comments above about fire danger. As an electrical engineer that knows the potential danger, this was a driving factor for me. I wanted something with fully removable batteries so I can keep them up front with me in a fireproof (or so claims Amazon) bag. I also keep a pair of heavy leather gardening gloves within reach so I could potentially pitch the batteries out of the plane window in an emergency. The scooter weighs 34 pounds with the battery. Removing the ~8-pound battery, you can very easily handle the frame/motor in and out of the aircraft at only 26 pounds. I flew from Atlanta to Vegas and used the scooter on overnite stops and rode it up and down the Vegas strip. Even if you want to take an uber to the hotel etc, these are small enough to throw in the back of the uber to have easy local transportation. I even picked up a pair of extra batteries that would provide an extra 30 miles of range while the first set of batteries recharges. You can't do that with built-in batteries.
I looked at foldable e-bikes but they just take up too much space. The only downside to the TurboAnt is the 300W motor doesn't have a lot of power to zip up hills and you can't pedal a scooter. If you're going someplace relatively flat or you don't mind kicking a bit up hills, these are an excellent choice.

 

[Let'sgoflying!]

https://www.pilotsofamerica.com/community/threads/lipo-battery-fire-containment-bags.142974/

I have not received any additional info since that thread which changes my (personal) summary:

-the containment bags might slow down the airframe damage (especially the very expensive bags) but not the gases.
-having oven mitts around is a good idea
-halon fire extinguishers are best but not likely to truly end the crisis
-power everything down and don't charge them in flight
-protect batteries from physical damage
-no vape pens at all
-no Li batteries in baggage (not enough time to notice a fire in the unpressurized areas of the plane)
-no large Li batteries like hoverboards etc
-the chances of a Li fire are pretty darned slim compared to all the other ways we crash planes.

There haven't been enough (maybe none?) tragedies for the regulators to act more aggressively on this, in GA.

 

[weilke]

In addition to what has been said (not charging, not freezing, not damaging etc ):

- try to find something like a e-bike with UL listed batteries (then double check the UL label vs. the listing on whether it's a fake).
- get something with a removable battery that you can carry in a containment bag. If it starts smoking you have a few seconds to slow down, open a door and toss the bag.


Most (but not all) of the tragedies with homes burning down due to high density lithium batteries are caused by on-line purchased chinesium scooters and hoverboards. Highest risk is when the batteries are being charged or if they are hot from a rapid discharge.

 

[geneseib]

Scooters should be OK if there's not a Starbuck's nearby.

 

[Shawn]

I ride a Onewheel which is perfect for the plane IMO...there is indeed a learning curve and you need to understand the physics to stay safe but over 8000 miles no serious injuries (so far). With an ebike or scooter you still need to deal with it at your destination, a Onewheel you can toss in a shopping cart or carry into the store/restaurant and the newer models are far safer than the earlier models.

Almost all of the fires with all e-rideable devices happen from aftermarket or DIY batteries and/or aftermarket chargers...as long as you are not buying from Amazon/Alibaba garbage the devices now very safe and reliable even though the early days of cheap Chinese hoverboards exploding gave all battery devices a bad name.

With the OW there has never been a document case of spontaneous combustion that was not somehow user induced or aftermarket modification.

 

[iamtheari]

I ride a Onewheel which is perfect for the plane IMO...there is indeed a learning curve and you need to understand the physics to stay safe but over 8000 miles no serious injuries (so far). With an ebike or scooter you still need to deal with it at your destination, a Onewheel you can toss in a shopping cart or carry into the store/restaurant and the newer models are far safer than the earlier models.

Almost all of the fires with all e-rideable devices happen from aftermarket or DIY batteries and/or aftermarket chargers...as long as you are not buying from Amazon/Alibaba garbage the devices now very safe and reliable even though the early days of cheap Chinese hoverboards exploding gave all battery devices a bad name.

With the OW there has never been a document case of spontaneous combustion that was not somehow user induced or aftermarket modification.

I'm not sure which scares me more: @William Pete Hodges and his electric unicycles or those of you riding Onewheels. A pilot I know who is substantially shorter than I am managed to break his collar bone riding a Onewheel. I have farther to fall and managed to escape my youth without ever breaking my collar bone. I would probably have some muscle memory from when I was a "how blue is that run?" snowboarder a million years ago. But I'm clumsy enough to trip on a smooth sidewalk. Meanwhile, the EUC seems to give more degrees of freedom in which to fall. If you see a guy in full motorcycle race gear riding around on either of those contraptions, please wave to me. But don't expect me to wave back, lest I should fall.