Electric take-off

sir – You report (Business, November 29) on progress with electric-powered airliners.

However, there are already many light aircraft with battery-powered electric engines. One interesting example is the Chinese RX-1E, which has removable battery packs that can be quickly changed between flights.

Surely there is a lesson here for electric car manufacturers. If cars had a standard battery, there could be a nationwide network of service stations where drivers could simply exchange an exhausted battery for a recharged one – and be quickly on their way.

Vice-chairman, Air-britain Merstham, Surrey