First Fuel-Cell Manned Aircraft

摘要

In February andMarch 2008 The Boeing Company successfully performed flight tests of the firstmanned fuel-cellnairplane in aviation history. The fuel-cell demonstrator airplane is amodified two-seatermotor glider equipped withna hybrid power source powering an electric motor that drives a variable-pitch propeller. The hybrid power sourcencomprises a proton exchangemembrane fuel cell, themain power source, and aLi–ion battery that assists the fuel cellnonly during takeoff and climb, when the maximum power is demanded. The fuel-cell demonstrator airplanensuccessfully completed four test flights. The airplane took off and climbed at 100 km=h, up to 1066.8 m (3500 ft)nabove sea level, with full power from the Li–ion batteries and the fuel-cell system. Once the cruise altitude wasnreached, the pilot disconnected the batteries. The altitude profile of the flightmission, logged in an InternationalCivilnAviation Organization certified global positioning system, proved that the airplane maintained altitude. Thisndemonstrated the firstmanned straight and level flightwith only fuel-cell power. The fuel-cell demonstrator airplanengenerates water vapor as the only exhaust product and seems considerably quieter than the conventional airplane.nThis paper gives a brief description of the fuel-cell demonstrator aircraft’s main subsystems, bench, ground, andnflight test results, aswell as themain challenges encounteredwhile designing, building, and testing this prototype andnthe lessons learned for the implementation of fuel cells in aviation.