COMAC CE-25A electric aircraft completes first piloted test flight in Shandong
Why It MattersA piloted flight by a 19-seat electric aircraft from China's main airliner builder moves electric propulsion for short intercity hops from concept toward flight testing in the commuter-aircraft segment.
The CE-25A, described as China's first domestically developed 10-metric-ton-class electric commercial aircraft, completed its first piloted test flight in Binzhou, Shandong province, on Saturday, Nov 14. Developed by Commercial Aircraft Corp of China (COMAC), the aircraft carried two pilots and a flight test engineer. The test lasted 57 minutes and 46 seconds, including 16 minutes and 38 seconds in the air, during which the aircraft covered 60.4 kilometers. COMAC said in a statement that the aircraft performed normally and all test results met expectations.
The CE-25A is COMAC's first electric commercial aircraft, designed to carry 19 passengers on intercity commercial flights. It has a maximum takeoff weight of 10 metric tons, a cruising speed of 300 kilometers per hour, a cruising altitude of 2,400 meters and a range of 400 kilometers. It is powered by a distributed electric ducted-fan propulsion system mounted on its wings. The flight is seen as a milestone in the development of electric aircraft for short-haul commercial travel.
