rival claims for first electric flight across channel
Last Updated : GMT 05:17:37
Emiratesvoice, emirates voice
Emiratesvoice, emirates voice
Last Updated : GMT 05:17:37
Emiratesvoice, emirates voice

Airbus's battery-powered E-fan aircraft

Rival claims for first electric flight across Channel

Emiratesvoice, emirates voice

Emiratesvoice, emirates voice Rival claims for first electric flight across Channel

Airbus E-Fan, the first electric aircraft to cross the English Channel
Calais - Arab Today

Airbus hailed a new chapter in aviation history on Friday by claiming the first electric flight across the Channel, brushing off a similar feat by another French pilot a day earlier.

Nearly 106 yRivalears after French pilot Louis Bleriot became the first to fly across the Channel, test pilot Didier Esteyne took off from Lydd Airport on the southeastern English coast in Airbus's battery-powered E-fan aircraft at 10:15 Friday morning.

In a bright, cloudless sky he flew 74 kilometres (45 miles) to the Calais Dunkerque airport in 38 minutes at an altitude of 3,500 feet.

"Building and flying a plane like this (is) a child's dream," said Esteyne, who also helped design the plane.

However French pilot Hugues Duval also claimed the first electric flight across the Channel, having made the journey from Calais to Dover and back again without landing in a twin engine Cri-Cri E-Cristaline on Thursday.

However Airbus pointed out that the Cri-Cri did not take off on its own, but was detached from a larger aircraft over the ocean.

Duval said he had not asked for official permission to take off in his aircraft as he was afraid it would be refused.

"I could have done the same journey as the E-Fan but I would probably have not managed with the administrative side," he told AFP.

"It is David against Goliath. Big companies have a tendency to crush you," he said, adding that people would tend to favour the version of the European aviation giant, criticising an attitude from Airbus which he said was "not always very fair play".

An Airbus spokesman said the group "applauds all exploits that advance electric and hybrid aviation but we are not in the same category."

- Silent, emission-free future -

Airbus's all-electric E-Fan aircraft, a hit at the 2015 International Paris Air Show, is seen as paving the way for silent, zero-emission planes of the future.

"This machine will allow us to deal with the problem of noise, and make steps to control greenhouse gas emissions. These are the two environmental problems of aviation," said Patrick Gandil, director general of France's civil aviation authority.

The two-seater plane has carried out over 100 test flights since April 2010. It weights 600 kilogrammes (1,322 pounds) , is 6,7 metres (22 feet) long and 9.5 metres wide.

According to Airbus the plane used its on-board lithium-ion battery system for 53 minutes during the crossing to Dunkerque, and 21 percent of its energy was remaining after the flight.

The European aerospace giant is planning to commercialise a version of the aircraft, E-Fan 2.0, by 2017. A four-seater version E-Fan 4.0 is planned for 2019.

"Within 20 or 30 years we could at least have regional flights with about 60 passengers onboard a hybrid electric propulsion aircraft," said Airbus chief Thomas Enders.
Source: AFP

 

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

rival claims for first electric flight across channel rival claims for first electric flight across channel

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

rival claims for first electric flight across channel rival claims for first electric flight across channel

 



GMT 09:54 2018 Wednesday ,24 January

'Friendly and kind' N. Korean skaters

GMT 09:36 2017 Thursday ,07 December

Heidy Karam’s contract to present talk show close

GMT 10:50 2012 Friday ,20 January

Dusty weather expected in UAE on Friday

GMT 09:35 2018 Saturday ,13 January

New Zealand bat first in third ODI against Pakistan

GMT 10:48 2017 Saturday ,23 December

Meryl Streep's brand under threat

GMT 06:53 2017 Thursday ,11 May

17th Doha Forum To Begin Sunday

GMT 10:30 2017 Thursday ,23 November

Reports underline proliferation of weapons in Arab world

GMT 07:46 2017 Monday ,30 October

Catch it early, treat it early and move on

GMT 08:05 2015 Tuesday ,17 February

Conan O'Brien is first late night host to film in Cuba

GMT 16:17 2018 Thursday ,30 August

Five Saudi women pilots granted GACA licences
 
 Emirates Voice Facebook,emirates voice facebook  Emirates Voice Twitter,emirates voice twitter Emirates Voice Rss,emirates voice rss  Emirates Voice Youtube,emirates voice youtube  Emirates Voice Youtube,emirates voice youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

emiratesvoieen emiratesvoiceen emiratesvoiceen emiratesvoiceen
emiratesvoice emiratesvoice emiratesvoice
emiratesvoice
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
emiratesvoice, Emiratesvoice, Emiratesvoice