First electric plane flies over English Channel

A plane powered only by lithium batteries has successfully crossed the Channel, from Lydd Airport in Kent to Calais.

Controversy broke out, with Esteyne’s Airbus team downplaying Duval ‘s claim to the cross-Channel record, saying he launched from another aircraft rather than taking off from land like their pilot.

“We deeply regret the action of Siemens which prevented the flight – especially because on the other hand, it would be Siemens that would enable the flight, being that our aircraft uses a Siemens electric motor”, said Pipistrel head Ivo Boscarol. He said he hopes to continue working with Siemens in the future to develop the plane.

‘We applaud the intrepid aviator that did this, although the actual details are yet to be confirmed.’.

“This is why we find this decision even more weird and incomprehensible”.

(AP) – Airbus flew its electric plane across the English Channel for the first time Friday – hours after an independent French pilot made a similar voyage, beating the aeronautics giant in this symbolically important step toward making electronic flight viable in the long term.

While the E-fan only seats two for now, the aircraft manufacturer is aiming bigger down the line. It’s smooth and very quiet.’.

He compared this week’s flights to those of Bleriot 106 years ago, saying “the Channel, in aviation, has a special place”. Then he flew autonomously back to Calais and landed safely.

The E-Fan 1.0 has undergone 100 flights, and the project has taken 18 months from paper to its first flight.

Mr Bradley predicts large aircraft powered by electric are decades, rather than single-digit years, away from being introduced widely in the industry. ‘We are not able to say now what will happen in five, eight or 10 years but for sure it is an interesting development.’.

“We have followed all requirements for safety verification in close co-operation with the French Direction Generale de l’Aviation Civile (DGAC)”.