December 1, 20223 yr From CNN Airbus has previously announced a variety of hydrogen-powered airplane concepts as part of its ZEROe program, including the Blended Wing Body. (CNN) — Airbus has announced it is developing a hydrogen-powered fuel cell engine -- and that it plans to test it on the largest commercial airplane ever to take to the skies. The French aviation giant revealed at Airbus Summit 2022 on November 30 that it will mount the engine between the wings and the tail of a modified A380 superjumbo. Test flights are estimated for 2026, as part of the Airbus ZEROe initiative to launch a zero-emission aircraft by 2035. "In terms of aerodynamics, the A380 is a very stable aircraft. So the pod attached to the rear fuselage via the stub doesn't pose much of an issue," said Mathias Andriamisaina, head of ZEROe demonstrators and tests at Airbus, in a statement. Airbus had previously revealed concept designs for an aircraft utilizing liquid hydrogen fuel and combustion engines, but vice president of Zero-Emission Aircraft Glenn Llewellyn suggested fuel cells alone might be sufficient to power smaller commercial aircraft. The engine uses fuel cells to convert the hydrogen into electricity, which then powers a propeller. "At scale, and if the technology targets were achieved, fuel cell engines may be able to power a 100-passenger aircraft with a range of approximately 1,000 nautical miles," he said. Continues with photos https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/airbus-fuel-cell-engine-rolls-royce-easyjet-engine-c2e-spc-intl/index.html
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