Europe’s largest emission-free aircraft completes first test flight

By Gregory Kirby via SWNS

Europe’s largest emission-free aircraft has completed its first test flight in the UK and could be ready for commercial operations by 2023, its manufacturer’s say.

The Piper Malibu, a six-seater electric plane powered by electric and hydrogen, took off on several short flights from its base at Cranfield Airport in Bedfordshire, England.

Manufacturer ZeroAvia said it was the first ever electric-powered flight of a commercial-scale aircraft carried out in Britain.

“Today’s flight is the latest in a series of milestones that moves the possibility of zero emission flight closer to reality,"said Val Miftakhov, ZeroAvia founder and CEO.

“We all want the aviation industry to come back after the pandemic on a firm footing to be able to move to a net zero future, with a green recovery. That will not be possible without realistic, commercial options for zero emission flight, something we will bring to market as early as 2023.”

The flight was part of Project HyFlyer which is partly funded by the UK government and aims to decarbonize medium-range small passenger aircraft.

Project HyFlyer's coordinators hope to achieve the goal by replacing conventional engines in propeller aircraft with electric motors, hydrogen fuel cells and gas storage.

Hydrogen-electric power offers the same zero-emission potential of electric batteries, but is much lighter making it better suited to flight, its designers explained.

They hope that the lighter alternative will enable flying commercial operations at a much larger scale, in a shorter time frame and at a lower cost.

ZeroAvia’s UK innovation program is backed by the Aerospace Technology Institute's (ATI) research and development program.

“The ATI is delighted to see the first flight of ZeroAvia’s battery-electric aircraft at Cranfield,"said Dr. Simon Weeks, Chief Technology Officer at ATI.

“This exciting ATI funded project is the next step in an effort to develop a commercial zero emissions hydrogen fuel cell powered commercial aircraft in the UK.”

ZeroAvia plans for Project HyFlyer to culminate in a 300 nautical mile flight in the UK from the Orkney Islands in Scotland.

The company’s longer term goal is to supply commercial operators and aircraft manufacturers in 2023, initially targeting the short haul market.

Initially, it hopes to enable regional flights in 10 to 20-seat fixed-wing aircraft with a journey distance of up to 500 miles.

Beyond HyFlyer, ZeroAvia expects commercial flights in 50 to 100 seat aircraft to be ready by the end of the decade.

The company has also said that aircraft with over 200 seats could fly routes in excess of 3,000 nautical miles by 2040 - without requiring any fundamental scientific breakthroughs.

The longer-distance hydrogen-electric test flights are planned for later this summer.