Pipistrel Aircraft, a subsidiary of Textron, reached a significant milestone as they successfully conducted the first piloted flight of their liquid hydrogen-powered electric aircraft, the HY4 demonstrator. Taking off from Maribor, Slovenia, with two pilots aboard, the aircraft demonstrated safe and efficient operations during multiple flight tests. Notably, the use of liquid hydrogen, rather than compressed hydrogen gas, has doubled the aircraft's range to approximately 800 nautical miles. Pipistrel's Chief Engineer, Tine Tomažič, emphasized that this achievement marks a critical step towards practical emissions-free flight, showcasing the potential of alternative sustainable fuels to power the aircraft of the future.
