A while back, I had read that a nearly 700 lb (315 Kg) sailplane equipped with an all-electric FES (Front Electric Self-launching) system had demonstrated serious climb rates (around 400 fpm, or 2 m/s) as well as multiple launches on a single charge; and I remember thinking at the time: “This is the future: All the advantages of self-launching and self-retrieving without any of the drawbacks of retractable pylon-mounted propellers or IC (Internal Combustion) engines.”
