First electric plane flies over English Channel

Calais, France - Pilot Hugues Duval flew from the French port of Calais to the English shoreline and back on Thursday night on a two-engine, one-seat Cricri plane.

By AP

Published: Fri 10 Jul 2015, 11:10 AM

Last updated: Fri 10 Jul 2015, 1:14 PM

A French pilot has flown across the English Channel in an electric-powered plane, a journey considered an important symbolic step toward making electric flight viable in the long term.
Pilot Hugues Duval flew from the French port of Calais to the English shoreline and back on Thursday night on a two-engine, one-seat Cricri plane - just hours before Airbus planned a similar, higher-profile journey.
Airbus is planning to send its electric plane prototype, the two-seater E-Fan, on Friday morning across the Channel for the first time, from Kent to Calais.
Duval told The Associated Press that his successful flight was a "relief" and an "important moment" after years of developing the plane and flying it over land.

First 100% electrical flight over Channel doesn't belong to Pipistrel or Airbus&Siemens, but to Hugues Duval! Bravo! https://t.co/C3xmmsYaIc
- Franci Lajovic (@francilajovic) July 10, 2015

A passion #FougaMagister #HuguesDuval #Tranchant @airfrance @AirFranceFR @salondubourget @WeLovePAS2015 #avgeek pic.twitter.com/YAozAFWL7z
- charly (@iCharlotte5) June 28, 2015

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