Airbus_E-Fan

Airbus is preparing to conduct the longest-ever flight of its electrically powered E-Fan aircraft later this week.

The two-seater aircraft is planned to take a 38-minute journey from Lydd Airfield in England to France, with designer and pilot Didier Esteyne onboard.

If successful, the flight will mark a significant milestone for the electric aviation segment.

Esteyne was quoted by The Telegraph as saying: "The E-Fan project shows the role that electric flight can play in the future of aerospace and the Channel crossing is an important demonstration of its capabilities and a milestone in the project’s development."

Made of carbon fibre, the E-Fan has a wingspan of 36ft and is 18.6ft long. It is powered by two 32kW electric motors, and is designed to cruise at around 100mph for up to an hour before replacing batteries.

The aircraft features a parachute that can be deployed in case of an unexpected failure, to land safely to the ground.

"We hope that this flight will capture the imagination of the next generation of aviators and engineers, and encourage them to pursue their dreams of flying."

Airbus chief technical officer Jean Botti said: "We hope that this flight will capture the imagination of the next generation of aviators and engineers, and encourage them to pursue their dreams of flying.

"The aircraft flies like a conventional aircraft of its size, is very reliable and some of the big advantages are its zero emissions, almost noiseless flight and cost-effectiveness."

The company said that the aircraft will contribute to the European Union’s ‘Flightpath 2050’ programme, which aims to reduce aviation emissions such as carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and noise by 75%, 90% and 65% respectively, over the 2000 levels.

Planned to enter into service next year, the E-Fan will be available to customers in 2017. The aircraft completed its first flight in March 2014.

By the end of the decade, Airbus plans to develop a four-seat E-fan 4.0 with hybrid engines, to enhance its range and endurance.

The company intends to develop an all-electric, 90-seat regional aircraft with plans to put it into service by 2050.

Image: Airbus’ fully electric technology demonstrator in flight. Photo: courtesy of Bernd Sieker / Wikipedia.