Electric plane CE-25A makes its first flight with a crew on board

The Chinese electric aircraft COMAC CE-25A took to the air with people on board for the first time on 14 November. The test took place in Binzhou, in Shandong province, with two pilots and a flight-test engineer in the cockpit. The crew is what set this flight apart: the aircraft had already made 19 test flights without anyone on board, and first took off unmanned on 2 February this year.

What we know about the flight

The whole test lasted 57 minutes 46 seconds, of which the aircraft spent 16 minutes 38 seconds in the air. According to published data, it covered 60.4 kilometres. COMAC said the aircraft performed normally and the monitored parameters matched expectations.

The aircraft is unusual above all for its propulsion: each wing carries five electric fans in ring-shaped ducts, ten in total. The project involves COMAC, battery maker CATL and Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

What routes it is being built for

According to the manufacturer, the aircraft is designed for 19 passengers, with a cruising speed of 300 kilometres per hour and a range of 400 kilometres. Its maximum take-off weight is ten tonnes and its cruising altitude is about 2,400 metres. The goal is short intercity flights.

It is important not to confuse the two: 400 kilometres is the aircraft's stated specification, not the result of Saturday's test. The aircraft did not cover that distance on its first crewed flight.

Electric aircraft are already flying

The idea of a battery-powered plane may seem new, but electric aviation already has some notable milestones. The two-seat Pipistrel Velis Electro received a type certificate from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency back in June 2020. It is the world's first certified fully electric aircraft and is intended mainly for pilot training. In September 2022, Eviation's electric demonstrator Alice made its first flight; several versions were planned for it, including one for nine passengers.

The Chinese project stands out for its larger capacity: 19 seats make it suitable for small regional routes. For now the aircraft remains in testing. The Civil Aviation Administration of China has accepted the type certificate application for the CE-25A, but that is not yet permission to carry passengers. The manufacturer has not said in its statements when the aircraft could start carrying them.

Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz