An Austrian two-seater Dimona motor-glider became the first aircraft to fly under the power of hydrogen fuel cells.
The history making first flight took place in Madrid, and was the work of a team of scientists and engineers from Boeing Research and Technology Europe. The group included participants from France, the United Kingdom, Austria, Germany, Spain and the United States.
So far three test flights have been conducted. The experimental aircraft achieved an altitude of 3,300 feet above sea level by using a combination of batteries and hydrogen.
After reaching the cruise altitude and disconnecting the batteries, the pilot flew straight and level at a cruising speed of 62 miles-per-hour for approximately 20 minutes on power solely generated by the fuel cells.
A fuel cell is an electrochemical device that converts hydrogen into electricity. No pollutants are generated in the process — only water and some heat.