Aviation's going EV? France's first hydrogen electric flight

Beyond Aero, a hydrogen powered private plane start-up, has achieved a historic milestone with their successful completion of France’s first manned hydrogen electric flight, led by co-founder / CEO Eloa Guillotin and her team of former Airbus aerospace engineers", says investment group Female Founders Fund. If you're wondering what a hydrogen electric flight is, automaker Toyota has a helpful explanation: "An electric vehicle is powered by electricity stored in a battery which needs recharging when it runs low, whereas a hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle produces its own electricity through a chemical reaction in its fuel cell stack". The Beyond Aero plane uses lithium batteries to help with take-off, and, according to Hydrogen Central publication: "The powertrain.... features an unprecedented hybridization ratio: two-thirds of its power comes from a hydrogen fuel cell, with the remaining third supplied by batteries". Guillotin, 27, is dedicating her aerospace engineering skills to help shape the future of the aviation industry, which she loves but told Fast Company is "unfortunately not going in the right direction". She further explains that she believes the future of aviation is electric, and "it made sense to start with a private aircraft, because that’s where [there’s demand] for electric aircraft. And because [current private planes] produce more than two tons of CO2 per hour per flight". Hydrogen Central reports that: "The [February 2024] flight, piloted by the experienced Paul Prudent, was aboard the Blériot prototype. Named in honor of the pioneering French aviator Louis Blériot, known for making the first airplane flight across the English Channel, the aircraft is a retrofit from a ULA aircraft model G1 SPYL-XL".

Keywords: Beyond Aero first manned flight, hydrogen electric flight, Female Founders Fund, hydrogen electric private plane, Eloa Guillotin, female founder aerospace,