New Flying Inventions Take Off
NFK Editors - October 2, 2020The coronavirus may have slowed down a lot of normal airplane traffic, but it hasn’t stopped some new flying inventions from taking off. Today NFK looks at a hydrogen-powered plane and a jet suit for medical emergencies.
World’s Largest Hydrogen Powered Plane Takes Off
Last Thursday, a company called ZeroAvia made a successful test flight of what it calls the “largest hydrogen-powered aircraft in the world”. The company is hoping to make it possible for airlines to carry small numbers of passengers for short distances without polluting.
ZeroAvia has made a successful test flight of what it calls the “largest hydrogen-powered aircraft in the world”. The company hopes to make it possible for airlines to carry small numbers of passengers for short distances without polluting.
(Source: ZeroAvia.)
Though traveling by plane is convenient, it’s not good for the environment. Airline travel causes roughly 2-3% of the pollution that makes the climate crisis worse. Airplanes powered by a very common gas called hydrogen could change all of that.
Hydrogen can be used to power vehicles by combining it with oxygen in a “fuel cell”. A fuel cell is like a battery that never runs out as long as it has hydrogen. The chemical reaction which takes place between hydrogen and oxygen in a fuel cell creates electricity, but doesn’t give off any pollution – only water.
A fuel cell is like a battery that never runs out as long as it has hydrogen. Inside the fuel cell, a chemical reaction takes place between hydrogen and oxygen, creating electricity, but only giving off water – and no pollution.
(Source: ZeroAvia.)
Many companies are working on hydrogen-powered vehicles, but ZeroAvia’s test flight used a plane that can seat 6 people – the largest hydrogen-powered plane ever flown. ZeroAvia made a similar flight in June, but that one was battery-powered.
Thursday’s flight was an important step in the company’s HyFlyer project, supported by the United Kingdom’s government. The company’s next big goal is to make a longer flight – of about 290 miles (465 kilometers) or more – by the end of the year.
ZeroAvia believes passengers could actually be flying on hydrogen-powered airplanes by 2023.
ZeroAvia’s test flight used a plane that can seat 6 people – the largest hydrogen-powered plane ever flown. The company’s next big goal is to make a longer flight – of about 290 miles (465 kilometers) or more – by the end of the year.
(Source: ZeroAvia.)
Company Tests Jet Suit for Emergency Services
Recently, a company called Gravity Industries put on a test of its jet suit to show how it could help emergency medical workers reach injured people quickly.
The jet suit is powered by small jets on each arm and one on the back. By pointing the jets at the ground, the pilot can take off. Returning to the ground is just a matter of pointing both arms out to the side.
Recently, a company called Gravity Industries put on a test of its jet suit to show how it could help emergency medical workers reach injured people quickly. Above, inventor Richard Browning controls the suit by moving the small jets around..
(Source: Gravity Industries, Screenshot via YouTube.)
Richard Browning, the suit’s inventor, flew up a mountain to find some people who were pretending to be hurt (for the test). To reach the spot by climbing the mountain would have taken 25 minutes. Mr. Browning was able to cover the same distance in just 90 seconds.
Andy Mawson is the director of Great North air ambulance service (GNAAS). He heard about the jet suit and realized it might be useful in a hilly area like England’s Lake District.
Andy Mawson thought the jet suit might be useful in a hilly area like the Lake District. In the test, it took Mr. Browning just 90 seconds to reach a spot that would have taken 25 minutes to reach by hiking.
(Source: Gravity Industries, Screenshot via YouTube.)
“What we didn’t know for sure is how this would work in practice,” he said. “Well, we’ve seen it now and it is, quite honestly, awesome.” Mr. Mawson says the device could save lives, especially if someone had a serious problem, such as a heart attack.
One problem? The cost. The suit sells for about $440,000 (£340,000).
Still, GNAAS is interested in the jet suits and says it could possibly put them to work for real as early as next summer.
Check Yourself
0/4
1. Normal airplane travel is highly polluting and makes the climate crisis worse.
True False2. A fuel cell combines hydrogen and oxygen. Instead of pollution it gives off _______________.
3. A pilot wearing the jet suit can take off by pointing the jets _______.
at the skyat the groundat the place the pilot wants to go4. The test showed that the jet suit wasn't much faster than walking.
True FalseWould you want to try a jet suit if you had the chance? Why or why not?
ResetSourceswww.zdnet.com
www.cnbc.com
thenextweb.com
markets.businessinsider.com
www.bbc.com
www.theguardian.com
www.engadget.com
www.kentonline.co.uk
Movies about the future often show people zipping around in flying cars. Last week, that vision came a step closer to reality for a Japanese company, as it showed off its flying car in action – complete with driver.
News Roundup: Russia Votes, Mississippi Flag, and a Flying Couch Potato
NFK Editors - Jul 5, 2020
In today’s news roundup, Russian voters approved changes that could allow Vladimir Putin to lead the country until 2036, Mississippi finally drops a flag that many consider racist, and a man in Turkey goes paragliding – on his couch.
Electric Planes Start to Take Off
NFK Editors - Dec 20, 2019
A company called Harbor Air in Vancouver, Canada has made a test flight of the world’s first all-electric airplane meant for carrying passengers. The 15-minute flight was an important step toward the future of electric planes.
World’s First Hydrogen Trains
NFK Editors - Sep 22, 2018
The world’s first hydrogen trains have begun running in Germany. The trains make almost no noise and they run without polluting. Instead, they give off steam.
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