November 19, 2021
...AND CHEAPER...:
Rolls-Royce says its all-electric aircraft is the world's fastest after it tops 387 mph (Anmar Frangoul. 11/19/21, CNBC)
According to Rolls-Royce, the airplane uses a 400-kilowatt electric powertrain "and the most power-dense propulsion battery pack ever assembled in aerospace." In September, it completed its maiden flight, soaring across skies in the U.K. for around 15 minutes.As concerns about sustainability and the environment mount -- the World Wildlife Fund describes air travel as "the most carbon intensive activity an individual can make" -- discussions around aviation are increasingly focused on how innovations and ideas could cut its environmental footprint.Over the last few years, a number of companies have sought to develop plans and concepts related to low and zero-emission aviation.Last September, for instance, a hydrogen fuel-cell plane capable of carrying passengers took to the skies over England for its first flight.The same month also saw Airbus release details of three hydrogen-fueled concept planes, with the European aerospace giant claiming they could enter service by 2035.
Posted by Orrin Judd at November 19, 2021 11:50 AM