Eric Scott Raymond

Who is Eric Scott Raymond?

Eric Raymond is a Certified Flight Instructor, Glider pilot, hang gliding pilot and Designer of Solar powered airplanes.

University education in Photography and Aerospace engineering. From San Diego, California, now living in Slovenia.

Eric starting flying model airplanes as a child, designing and building his own model airplanes. In his teenage years he started flying sailplanes, but switched to hang gliding. In hang gliding contests he became United States Hang Gliding Champion in 1979. He also set World hang gliding records and in 1983 and 1984 became World aerobatic champion. Working for Paul MacCready on unmanned aircraft, he met Gunther Rochelt and flew his Musculair II. From this experience, and with help from Gunther Rochelt, Eric Raymond had the idea for his Solar powered aircraft. Eric founded Solar Flight and began construction of his design in 1986. Sunseeker I was test flown in 1989 as a glider. In early 1990 Solar powered flights were made with two brush motors driving a variable pitch propeller and then with Brushless motor driving a Folding propeller. In 1990 he flew it across the USA, and in 2009 he flew Sunseeker II all over southern Europe. From 2006 - 2009 he worked for Bertrand Piccard, building the Solar panels for the Solar Impulse airplane. In 2009 he started building a Solar powered version of the Stemme S10. Eric has received considerable press coverage for his efforts advancing both solar-powered and electric aircraft, most recently in 2011 as a team leader of the e-Genius team in the CAFE Foundation Green Flight Challenge.