Chinese electric passenger plane completes first crewed flight
The plane, a CE-25A, took off and landed in Binzhou, Shandong Province, and reportedly flew for around 60 kilometres.
China's state-backed Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) achieved a historic milestone on Saturday as its electric passenger plane completed its first crewed flight. The aircraft, a CE-25A designed for short-distance commercial travel between cities, was piloted by two pilots and an engineer, soaring for approximately 60 kilometers. The flight lasted 16 minutes and 38 seconds, taking off and landing in Binzhou, Shandong Province, eastern China.
The CE-25A utilizes an electric propulsion system, capable of carrying 19 passengers with a maximum takeoff weight of 10 tonnes. It boasts a cruising speed of up to 300 kilometers per hour and can fly at an altitude of 2,400 meters. This marks a significant advancement in China's aviation industry, with the plane having previously completed 19 unmanned test flights following its autonomous flight in February of this year.
COMAC, in collaboration with battery manufacturer Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and others, built the CE-25A. The manned flight is the latest development in the aircraft's journey, with the manufacturer already applying for type certification from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). However, approval to enter commercial service has yet to be granted.
Written by urgent.news from Euronews's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
