Boeing to Develop a Fuel Cell Powered Airplane

Posted by chrisd on Tuesday November 27, 2001 @09:00PM 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.

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Re:Hydrogen dangerous? by rpjs · 2001-11-27 22:00 · Score: 0, Redundant

IIRC the latest research suggests it was the flammable outer envelope of the Hindenburg that was primarily responsible for the disaster, rather than the hydrogen in the gasbags per se.
Re:Hydrogen dangerous? by Anonymous+DWord · 2001-11-27 22:03 · Score: 1, Redundant

Why? It was the flammable fabric that burned.

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