first commercial full electric powered plane took of in Canada

[Georg]

The world's first fully electric powered airliner has completed its maiden flight in Canada. This is the beginning of the electrical aviation age, the engineers are convinced.

It is the world's first fully electric powered airliner and has successfully passed its test flight in Canada. The DHC-2 de Havilland Beaver hydroplane, upgraded to electric drive, took off from Vancouver Airport and made a circuit over the Fraser River. "This is the beginning of the electrical aviation era," said the head of the US engineering company magniX, Roei Ganzarski.

The company from Seattle built a specially developed electric motor in the 62-year-old machine. The client is Harbor Air, US manufacturer of seaplanes. At the wheel of the DHC-2 de Havilland Beaver sat the boss of the company, Greg McDougall.

Convert 40 seaplanes

The goal is to convert the entire fleet of about 40 seaplanes, he said: There is no reason not to do so. Apart from savings in comparison to aircraft fuel, the company could save millions in maintenance costs because electric motors are "drastically" less maintenance-prone.

Harbor Air transports about 500,000 passengers a year over short distances along the Canadian Pacific coast. The now tested e-plane has a range of 160 kilometers. That's rich for most of the flights offered by Harbor Air, McDougall said.
"Environmentally friendly flying"

However, before the drive can go into production, more tests are needed to prove its reliability and safety. In addition, the engine must still be approved by the authorities.

The e-aircraft could "set a trend towards greener flying," said Canada's Transport Minister Marc Garneau. So far, the aerospace industry is by far the most climate-damaging transport industry, with 285 grams of CO2 per passenger per kilometer, according to the EU's Environmental Protection Agency EEA. It is responsible for two percent of global CO2 emissions.

https://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/verkehrsflugzeug-kanada-101.html

 

[TsAr]

Conversion of planes to Electric power has been slow any particular reason?

 

[HannibalBarca]

Conversion of planes to Electric power has been slow any particular reason?

Because it not viable.

 

[TsAr]

Because it not viable.

I understand that but what is the reason its not viable? There must be some technical back ground behind this assumption.

 

[KungFuLee]

I understand that but what is the reason its not viable? There must be some technical back ground behind this assumption.

In short, electricity generation and battery.

Unlike electric car, which you can reduce weight by using fuel cell (Mostly Hydrogen fuel cell) You can't use them in flight, the only option is to use tradition li-ion battery. Which both have low output and heavy weight, which is both bad for aircraft.

The break thru come from United States Air Force, and a team of Scientist from MIT headed by Professor Hu, which invented polymer ionic liquid battery (which come from the US patent Natural polymer nanoparticles from ionic liquid emulsions with the United States Air Force) where the battery is both half the weight as solid lithium ion battery (as it was of Poloymer) and hold twice more charge.

Other problem such as power generation, power allocation and also how to make redundant system

 

[khail007]

Conversion of planes to Electric power has been slow any particular reason?

IMO commercial use of e-planes needs a lot of safety/airworthiness standards to be regulated and it will take years to evolve. This is the beginning and not easy job or may be some political decisions may also be involved.