Boeing flies fuel-cell powered plane

MADRID, Spain, April 7, 2008 -— For the first time in aviation history, Boeing has flown a manned airplane powered by hydrogen fuel cells. The recent milestone is the work of an engineering team at Boeing Research & Technology Europe in Madrid, with assistance from industry partners in Austria, France, Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States. "Boeing is actively working to develop new technologies for environmentally progressive aerospace products," said Francisco Escarti, BR&TE's managing director. "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." A fuel cell is an electrochemical device that converts hydrogen directly into electricity and heat with none of the products of combustion such as carbon dioxide. Other than heat, water is its only exhaust. A two-seat Dimona motor-glider with a 53.5-foot wingspan was used as the airframe. Built by Diamond Aircraft Industries of Austria, it was modified by BR&TE to include a Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell/lithium-ion battery hybrid system to power an electric motor coupled to a conventional propeller. Three test flights took place in February and March at an airfield south of Madrid. During the flights, the pilot of the experimental airplane 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 mph for approximately 20 minutes on power solely generated by the fuel cells. According to Boeing researchers, PEM fuel cell technology potentially could power small manned and unmanned air vehicles. Over the longer term, solid oxide fuel cells could also be applied to secondary power-generating systems, such as auxiliary power units for large commercial airplanes.

Boeing Research & Technology - Europe conducted three test flights in February and March 2008 of a manned airplane powered by hydrogen fuel cells. A fuel cell is an electromechanical device that converts hydrogen directly into electricity and heat with none of the products of combustion, such as carbon dioxide. Photo Credit: Boeing photo Boeing illustration of its fuel-cell demonstration airplane. View it flying High-resolution Low resolution

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