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Boeing to Develop a Fuel Cell Powered Airplane

Posted by chrisd on from the lightest-element dept.

gilgsn writes: "From Yahoo News: Boeing is working with a light airplane manufacturer in Spain on a fuel cell powered plane. The efficiency of electric motors, with their reliability, acceleration, lack of vibrations and noise has a lot to offer to general aviation. The project aims at exploring environmentally friendly modes of propulsion. I can easily imagine a hybrid aircraft using fuel cell technology for take-off and altitude gain, coupled with solar cells to sustain flight. I hope a kitplane manufacturer in the United States will read this. I can't wait to fly a fuel cell powered ultralight!" CD: The question is can a fuel cell deliver enough energy for a flight long enough to be practical.

8 of 205 comments (clear)

  1. frost pist by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    It hurts and stuff, don'cha know?

  2. solar power by spiny · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    >The question is can a fuel cell deliver enough energy for a flight long enough to be practical.

    well, the solar power car race shows that, cars at least, are able to harvest enough power on the move to make them practical (if expensive) so who knows...

    though i'd be more reasured if a plane i was in had some sort of conventional power backup in case it got cloudy ....

    --

    Fry: heh, Yakov Smirnoff said it
    Leela: No he didn't.
  3. Re:great...more dependence on weather by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Service this, slutbag:

    =====D,
    ,
    ,

  4. Re:The airline industry wanted this for years by Monkeychunks · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Ya. I thought Hummus was a dip made from chick peas ;)

    --
    "We kill to cure, with cures that kill" - Skinny Puppy
  5. In Principle, yes... by hotgrits · · Score: 0, Offtopic
    The heisenburg exploded because it was painted with reactive metal paint.

    I'm a little uncertain that you've got the right name here.

  6. Re:Ka-BOOM! by zephc · · Score: 1, Offtopic

    C'mon, are you trolling?

    The Hindenburg burned so well because it was painted with a paint that is very similar to rocket fuel.

    Airplane fuel is also much more dangerous than the Hindenburg was (as we have seen).

    --
    "I would say that 99 per cent of what my father has written about his own life is false." - L. Ron Hubbard Jr.
  7. EU joke by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    actually this has been the subject to a joke :

    Why is Concorde more Economic than Boeing ?

    Because a Concorde would have had both towers in one shot :)

    Knowing how you americans have childish reaction on the subject, this will of course be posted as an AC.

  8. Re:Risks involved by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Night flights would be a bit risky!