Following the flight of an aircraft powered by algae-based fuel, EADS is now tackling the new challenge of a zero-emission propellant.
Partnered by Aero Composites Saintonge and the Greencri-cri Association, EADS Innovation Works will present Cri-Cri, the first-ever four-engined all electric aerobatic plane, at the Green Aviation Show in Le Bourget from June 18 to June 22.
The aerobatic plane incorporates numerous technologies such as lightweight composite structures that reduce the weight of the airframe and compensate for the additional weight of the batteries, four brushless electric motors with counter-rotating propellers which deliver propulsion without CO2 emissions and significantly lower noise compared to thermal propulsion and high energy-density Lithium batteries.
According to the company, the combined utilization of these environment-friendly technical innovations enables the Cri-Cri to deliver novel performance values: 30 minutes of autonomous cruise flight at 110 km/h, 15 minutes of autonomous aerobatics at speeds reaching up to 250 km/h, and a climb rate of approximately 5.3 m/sec.
Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2010
