Airbus Launches All-Composite, All-Electric Plane

Airbus Group's all-electric, all-composite training aircraft took its first public flight last month during the company's E-Aircraft Day in Bordeaux, France. The experimental aircraft was designed and built as a technology demonstrator for small planes used to train pilots.The two-seater E-Fan has zero carbon dioxide emissions during flight and is much quieter than non-electric aircraft. It was specifically built from the ground up to be an all-electric craft, and to be manufactured and sold as a commercially viable plane. It's flight endurance is one hour for pilot training, and half an hour for aerobatics. You can watch a short video of the flight here, including some cool shots taken from inside the cabin. Although Airbus is calling this the plane's first successful public flight, the aircraft previously flew in March 2014, and an earlier version was demonstrated at the 2013 Paris Air Show.

The E-Fan was developed to support the European Commission's Flightpath 2050 roadmap. This calls for a 75% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from aircraft by 2050, as well as a 65% reduction in noise levels. Work on the E-Fan began during the Paris 2011 Air Show, and developed out of work by Airbus Group Innovations with partner Aero Composite Saintonge on the Cri-Cri, the first all-electric four-engine aerobatic plane, according to an E-Fan brochure you can download on this page under the "Key Documents" heading. Because of its electrical propulsion, the E-Fan has very little vibration, its performance isn't reduced in hot weather or at high altitudes, and there's no propeller torque, so the flight is exceptionally smooth.The plane weighs 500 kg empty, its wingspan is 9.5m, and its length is 6.67m. Two electric motors with a combined power of 60 kw form the plane's propulsion system. They are located close to the aircraft's center line, making the plane easier than others to control. Each motor drives a ducted variable-pitch fan. The ducts increase static thrust and reduce noise. Motors are powered by a set of 250V lithium-ion polymer batteries that are vented and passively cooled. The aircraft integrates an electrical energy management system called e-FADEC to simplify pilot monitoring tasks, while a telemetry system records and transmits propulsion, battery, and engine conditions to a ground station.