In the quest to design more efficient aircraft, the CAFE Foundation organizes an annual contest called the Green Flight Challenge. This year the goal was to make an electric plane that could fly 200 miles in less than two hours, using the equivalent of less than one gallon of fuel per passenger. The winners from Team Pipistrel managed to complete the course using just over half that amount.
With two pilots needed to fly the plane, that means that their unusual twin fuselage Taurus G4 managed to achieve the equivalent of almost 200-mpg, unheard of numbers for an aircraft.
This year the Green Flight Challenge was hosted by NASA and Google, and took place around Sonoma County Airport in Northern California. While Team Pipistrel won the day and the big $1.35 million prize, another team called e-Genius did almost as well and won the second place prize.
I don't think Boeing's about to start making electric passenger planes anytime soon, but it's pretty amazing to think that you can make a 100-mph plane that makes a regular road car look like a gas hog. LINK
Team Pipistrel, via PopSci
This year the Green Flight Challenge was hosted by NASA and Google, and took place around Sonoma County Airport in Northern California. While Team Pipistrel won the day and the big $1.35 million prize, another team called e-Genius did almost as well and won the second place prize.
I don't think Boeing's about to start making electric passenger planes anytime soon, but it's pretty amazing to think that you can make a 100-mph plane that makes a regular road car look like a gas hog. LINK
Team Pipistrel, via PopSci
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