Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Experimental Fuel-Cell Airplane Begins NASA Test

Posted by timothy on from the aloft-a-lot dept.

gilgsn writes "Planenews.com has a NASA press release from their Dryden Flight Research Center about the first large fuel-cell powered airplane to fly. The Helios prototype took-off Saturday at 8:43AM from the Hawaiian island of Kauai, using solar panels to power its 10 electric motors for takeoff and during daylight portions of its 20-hour shakedown flight. As sunlight diminishes, Helios switched to a fuel cell system to continue flight into the night. I wonder how long it will be before fuel cells are used on homebuilt experimentals."

2 of 40 comments (clear)

  1. WHOOOOOOSH!!!!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Redundant

    Thats what planes do....

  2. no, more like by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Redundant

    whum whum whum whum whumwhum whumwhum whumwhum whumwhumwhum whumwhumwhum whumwhumwhumhwwhumwhumwhumwhumwhumwhumwhumwhumeeee eeeeeee
    eeeeeevreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
    vrooooo oosh

    battat ta ta tat
    CLUNK wheeeeeeeee KA-BOOOOOOM

    Vrosh Vrosh shhhhhhhhh PCHRRRRRR BLAAAAAAM BLAAAM