Airbus Group’s E-Fan Makes U.S. Debut At EAA AirVenture

Airbus Group is showcasing its ideas for the future of electric aviation at 2016 EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh this week with the U.S. debut of the Airbus E-Fan 1.2, an experimental electric aircraft recently updated with a new hybrid electric/gas engine. The Airbus E-Fan is on static display at the Airbus Group tent in spaces 63 and 64 of Aviation Gateway Park.

Airbus Group executives will also be presenting at forum discussions on E-Fan’s technology and the company’s mission to one day replace fossil fuels in aviation: Wednesday, July 27, at 8:30 a.m. on Forum Stage 7 (Honda Pavilion) and Thursday, July 28, at 10 a.m. at Aviation Gateway Park.
“Hybrid electric flight represents one of the biggest industrial challenges of our time, and our goal is to create aircraft designs that generate zero emissions,” said Andy Anderson, chief operating officer for the Corporate Technology Office at Airbus Group.
 
“With the E-Fan 1.2, we’re continuing to explore innovative approaches to more environmentally friendly technologies as possible alternatives to fossil fuels. Using insights gained from the E-Fan program, we hope to reduce – and possibly eliminate – the use of fossil fuels in aviation design within the next 30 to 40 years.” 
 
As part of Airbus Group’s commitment to pioneering the future of energy-efficient aviation, the company developed the E-Fan 1.1, an experimental aircraft to validate the concept of electric-powered flight. Last year, the plane made aviation history as the first electric-powered aircraft to cross the English Channel. The E-Fan 1.1 demonstrator was also the 2014 recipient of the Comparative Aircraft Flight Efficiency (CAFE) Foundation’s Personal Aircraft Design Academy (PADA) award and trophy, which annually recognizes the world’s best personal aircraft designs and engineers.

The E-Fan 1.2 operates on a hybrid engine to reduce noise, vibration and weight of the plane while increasing battery capacity and extending its range. With this hybrid engine, the E-Fan has significantly reduced its noise level and operates on an electric taxiing system. Yesterday’s U.S. debut provided aviation experts and enthusiasts the opportunity to view the hybrid engine for the first time publicly and learn more about Airbus Group’s vision for the future of green aviation.
 
Since its founding in 2011, the Airbus E-Fan project has worked to develop more energy efficient aircraft. The project is aligned with the European Commission’s “Flightpath 2050” goals, which call for significant reductions in aircraft carbon dioxide emissions and noise to ensure the sustainable development of the aviation industry. Additionally, as a highly innovative technology flying test bed, the Airbus E-Fan is promoting research in electric propulsion and the certification of electrical flight concepts.

(Images provided with Airbus news release)

FMI: www.airbus.com