The world's first hybrid plane that can recharged itself mid flight has been successfully tested, it has been reported. The aircraft has been created by a team at Cambridge University, working with Boeing, who carried out the maiden flight at Sywell Aerodrome, in Northampton. But passengers won't be boarding a hybrid plane any time soon, as a jetline would only be able to stay airborne for a matter of minutes. The demonstration aircraft is powered by parallel hybrid-electric propulsion system and is said to use 30 per cent less fuel than petrol only planes, Cambridge University said. The world's first hybrid plane, created by a team at Cambridge University, working with Boeing, has successfully been tested . The hybrid plane is said to use 30 per cent less fuel than petrol only planes . The aircraft, which is based on a commercially available singe seater, is also able to recharge its batteries in flight. Based on a commercially available single seater, the aircraft is also able to recharge its batteries in flight. During the tests the plane performed a series of 'hops' along the runway, before a flight at over 1,500 feet. The plane, whose hybrid engine was designed and built by engineers at Cambridge with Boeing funding support, works by the same principle as a hybrid car. During take off, when it needs most power, it uses both the petrol engine and the electric motor, but once cruising height is reached the electric motor can be switched onto generator mode. This will then recharge the batteries or it can be switched to motor assist mode to save fuel. 'Although hybrid cars have been available for more than a decade, what's been holding back the development of hybrid or fully-electric aircraft until now is battery technology,' said Dr Paul Robertson of Cambridge's Department of Engineering, who led the project. 'Until recently, they have been too heavy and didn't have enough energy capacity. But with the advent of improved lithium-polymer batteries, similar to what you'd find in a laptop computer, hybrid aircraft – albeit at a small scale – are now starting to become viable.' Dr Robertson said that while this is an is an important step in the development of hybrid or fully-electric aircraft, more research is required before commercial airliners will be powered entirely with electric motors. Currently if all the engines and all the fuel in a modern aircraft were replaced by batteries, it would have a total flying time of roughly ten minutes.
Cambridge University has tested the world's first hybrid plane in the UK .
The maiden flight took place at Sywell Aerodrome in Northampton .
The aircraft is said to use 30 per cent less fuel than petrol powered planes .
It works on the same principle as a hybrid car and can recharge itself mid flight .
The world's first hybrid plane that can recharged itself mid flight has been successfully tested, it has been reported. The aircraft has been created by a team at Cambridge University, working with Boeing, who carried out the maiden flight at Sywell Aerodrome, in Northampton. But passengers won't be boarding a hybrid plane any time soon, as a jetline would only be able to stay airborne for a matter of minutes. The demonstration aircraft is powered by parallel hybrid-electric propulsion system and is said to use 30 per cent less fuel than petrol only planes, Cambridge University said. The world's first hybrid plane, created by a team at Cambridge University, working with Boeing, has successfully been tested . The hybrid plane is said to use 30 per cent less fuel than petrol only planes . The aircraft, which is based on a commercially available singe seater, is also able to recharge its batteries in flight. Based on a commercially available single seater, the aircraft is also able to recharge its batteries in flight. During the tests the plane performed a series of 'hops' along the runway, before a flight at over 1,500 feet. The plane, whose hybrid engine was designed and built by engineers at Cambridge with Boeing funding support, works by the same principle as a hybrid car. During take off, when it needs most power, it uses both the petrol engine and the electric motor, but once cruising height is reached the electric motor can be switched onto generator mode. This will then recharge the batteries or it can be switched to motor assist mode to save fuel. 'Although hybrid cars have been available for more than a decade, what's been holding back the development of hybrid or fully-electric aircraft until now is battery technology,' said Dr Paul Robertson of Cambridge's Department of Engineering, who led the project. 'Until recently, they have been too heavy and didn't have enough energy capacity. But with the advent of improved lithium-polymer batteries, similar to what you'd find in a laptop computer, hybrid aircraft – albeit at a small scale – are now starting to become viable.' Dr Robertson said that while this is an is an important step in the development of hybrid or fully-electric aircraft, more research is required before commercial airliners will be powered entirely with electric motors. Currently if all the engines and all the fuel in a modern aircraft were replaced by batteries, it would have a total flying time of roughly ten minutes.
The world's first hybrid plane that can recharged itself mid flight has been successfully tested, flight at Sywell Aerodrome, in Northampton. But demonstration aircraft is powered by parallel planes, Cambridge University said. The world's said to use 30 per cent less fuel than petrol by the same principle as a hybrid car. During