Airplanes release greenhouse emissions into the atmosphere and
require enormous amounts of fuel to fly. A Boeing 747 can consume up to five gallons
of fuel per mile. But what if planes could be powered by electricity?
Though they won’t replace passenger airliners anytime soon, small,
zero-emission, electric planes are flying today.
Engineers have been pursing electric flight for decades. In 1979, the Solar Riser became the first manned electric aircraft to fly. It used photovoltaic cells to charge a battery that powered an electric motor, but could only fly five minutes, at which point it could either glide or land.
Many enhancements have been made since, and several models of electric planes are showing signs of promise. Two of the most interesting planes to fly recently are the E430 and the SkySpark.
To read the full, original article click on this link: Flying Green: The Possibilities And Challenges Of Electric Aircraft
Author: Matylda Czarnecka
