Airbus E-Fan X moves step closer to maiden electric flight

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Airbus’ E-Fan X technology demonstrator made its final test flight last month before it is modified with its hybrid-electric propulsion system and flown next year writes Ben Sampson, editor of Aerospace Testing International. 

The flight from Cranfield University in the UK of the BAe146 RJ100 was conducted on February 25. The aircraft is to be modified to accommodate a hybrid-electric propulsion system supplied by Rolls-Royce and flown in that configuration next year.

The E-Fan X will be the latest iteration of Airbus’ E Fan series of aircraft, the first of which was developed in 2014. The project to develop the latest technology demonstrator is a partnership between Airbus and Rolls-Royce that is receiving £58m (US$74m) of funding from the UK government.

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Bob Gilfillan, chief engineer E-Fan X at BAE Systems Air said, “The aircraft has been under our control since October. There were some test flights conducted then and at the end of February to baseline the performance, so that after it’s modified we can assess the impact of the hybrid-electric system accurately.

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