The Boeing Co. has flown the world’s first airplane powered by hydrogen fuel cells, the company announced today.
Boeing said its engineers in Madrid have been working with industry partners throughout Europe and the United States to achieve this feat.
“Boeing is actively working to develop new technologies for environmentally progressive aerospace products,” said Francisco Escarti, a managing director of Boeing’s research unit in Europe. “We are proud of our pioneering work during the past five years on the Fuel Cell Demonstrator Airplane project. It is a tangible example of how we are exploring future leaps in environmental performance, as well as a credit to the talents and innovative spirit of our team.”
The two-seat Dimona motor-glide made three flights in February and March at an airfield south of Madrid. During the flights, the pilot climbed to an altitude of 3,300 feet above sea level using a combination of battery power and power generated by hydrogen fuel cells. Then, after reaching the cruise altitude and disconnecting the batteries, the pilot flew straight and level at a cruising speed of 62 miles per hour for approximately 20 minutes on power solely generated by the fuel cells, according Boeing’s press release.
Boeing flies hydrogen fuel cell airplane
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