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SubscribeIf you thought the first ever- solar powered aircraft to fly across the Atlantic was amazing then this little piece of information should impress you.
Electric powered cars and trucks - move aside.
Electric Planes are here.
And Pilots are so eager to fly them that they're racing each other to it – literally.
Last Friday, French Pilot Didier Esteyne thought he'd be the first ever pilot to fly across the English channel in an electric powered Airbus, having planned the trip two months previously. Little did he know that he was beaten by French stunt Pilot, Hugues Duval, who flew solo across the channel just a few hours before him to claim the glory.
Needles to say, there are no losers here, since both planes were powered by electricity.
The planes did, however have slight differences – Esteyne's plane was much more comfortable than Duval's, being a slightly bigger two-seater. Duval's Cri-Cri aircraft was a tiny one person that had to be catapulted in order to take flight. Despite differences, both pilots had the same intention to use their flights to raise awareness about clean energy alternatives and pave the way for a sustainable future.
"We are building a part of the future of aviation… Building and flying a plane like this is a dream of mine"- Esteyne
Although it will still be a while until regional passenger planes can run totally off electricity, it's worth taking a look at the positive impact that electric-fuelled planes will some day have.
THE BENEFITS OF ELECTRIC POWER
The most obvious is that they don't pollute. Aviation pollution is often something that is often overlooked. In 2013, 11% of CO2 in the US was from plane and other transport emissions. On a global scale, jet emissions make up about 2% of total carbon emissions, as well as being a major source of air pollution and noise pollution.
As well as being virtually silent, battery-run airplanes are also cheaper. Aviation fuel costs $7 a gallon, so an aircraft that is powered simply by plugging it in and charging it, will be much more cost effective.
However, electric planes still have shortcomings. At the moment, planes like the Airbus, it's only possible to fly 2 passengers about 100 miles. Compare that to a traditional plane of the same size, which would have about seven times that range. The endurance of electric energy still has a way to go if we want to be flying in electric powered planes from Australia to Paris in our lifetimes.
Still, Esteyne and Duval's battery-powered journey across the channel shows that cleaner forms of energy are available, and they work. Airbus is confident that a by 2050, 100-seater versions of electric planes will be available!
Save us a ticket please, Airbus! Don't leave without us!
READ THIS NEXT: The first ever solar powered plane lands in Hawaii!
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