Aviation milestone: first manned hydrogen flight in France
Beyond Aero successfully completed France’s first manned flights using a hydrogen electric aircraft. The test flights, conducted earlier this month from the Gap-Tallard airfield in southern France, featured Paul Prudent as pilot and used an ultralight two-seater G1 Aviation aircraft modified with Beyond Aero’s hydrogen electric powertrain.
The aircraft’s innovative powertrain, which drives a single propeller, draws two-thirds of its energy from a hydrogen fuel cell. hydrogen fuel cell and the remaining third from batteries. The cell was fed with 1.2 kg of gaseous hydrogen stored in three tanks at 340 bar, generating a maximum electrical power of 85 kW.
The test flight campaign, which began in January, included 10 takeoffs and two full flights. The Blériot prototype reached an altitude of 2,300 feet above sea level and an ascent speed of 110 km/h (68 mph). This campaign was conducted to validate the demonstrator and the feasibility of the powertrain architecture, preceded by a three-month ground test campaign to demonstrate the reliability of the powertrain, which included fixed-point testing at high thrust levels and taxiing tests.
Future plans
Importantly, the development and testing of the Blériot prototype aims to overcome hydrogen-related technological challenges, optimize weight and address integration constraints. The team will subsequently develop a 1 MW propulsion system that will place two ducted electric fans at the rear of the fuselage.
Eloa Guillotin, co-founder and CEO of Beyond Aero, highlighted this achievement as an important milestone for the company and a starting point for the new aerospace industry. “We have continued France’s pioneering legacy in aerospace and combined it with the modern American mindset to define the next chapter with action. Aviation will be electric, let’s make it happen together!“
Founded in 2020 and based at Toulouse-Francazal Airport in France, Beyond Aero is developing the BYA-1, an eight-passenger business jet that will have a range of 1,500 km and a cruising speed of 573 km/h. The company has signed letters of intent for 72 aircraft, valued at US$580 million.
The BYA-1 will use two 500 kW ducted electric fans and a crescent-shaped air intake at the rear to cool the powertrain. The design places the hydrogen fuel tanks in a fairing under the fuselage so as not to compromise cockpit space.
This achievement not only demonstrates Beyond Aero’s commitment to innovation and sustainability, but also underscores the potential of hydrogen as a clean energy source. as a clean and efficient source of energy for the aviation of the future.efficient energy source for the aviation of the future. As the aerospace industry seeks to reduce its carbon footprint, initiatives like this one are crucial to explore new frontiers in propulsion technology and pave the way for an era of greener air travel.
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Source: aerospacetestinginternational.com
Video: Beyond Aero