e-Genius flying at NASA Green Flight Challenge. Image by Wernher Krutein / Photovault.com

We’re here at the NASA CAFE Green Flight Challenge on the third and final day of testing. The initial thirteen teams are down to four participants – three competitors and one demonstrator. Two all-electric planes are flying: e-Genius from Germany and Pipistrel Taurus G4 from Slovenia. An efficient piston plane, the PhoEnix from the Chech Republic, is the third competitor. And the first electric hybrid plane, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University’s EcoEagle, is flying as a demonstrator.

Pat Anderson of Embry Riddle Aeronautical University explains the workings of the EcoEagle to Erik Lindbergh and Jean Schulz at Charles M. Schulz Airport

Against the noise of the planes and jets taking off in the background, the silence of these planes is amazing. To emphasize the importance of this attribute of electric flight, on Saturday night LEAP will announce the winner of the first annual Lindbergh Prize for Quietest Aircraft at a celebration banquet hosted by CAFE Foundation. For more information about this prize, go to www.lindberghprize.org .

While the testing was not open to the public, there are plenty of media here to capture this history-making event, and we’ll post video to this website in the near future. On Saturday, there will be an all-day public open house here at Charles M. Shulz Sonoma County Airport. Be sure to come out and see these incredible planes, and the people who have designed, built and flown them.

On Sunday the planes will move to Moffett Field for Monday’s Google Green Flight Expo hosted by NASA Ames. The winner of the Green Flight Challenge will be announced at noon on Monday at NASA Ames. http://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/events/2011/10_03_11-expo.html

~ by Yolanka

Pipistrel Taurus G4 landing at NASA Green Flight Challenge. Image by Wernher Krutein / Photovault.com