industry
Heart's 25,000-pound X1 electric demonstrator completes maiden flight
Heart Aerospace successfully flew its X1 battery-electric demonstrator from upstate New York’s Plattsburgh International Airport, marking a major milestone for alternative propulsion. The twenty-seven-minute maiden sortie reached an altitude of 1,100 feet, utilizing a megawatt-class electric powertrain that cost a mere five dollars to charge. At over 25,000 pounds with a 106-foot wingspan, the X1 is now the heaviest battery-electric aircraft to take to the skies. For future airline pilots, this successful test brings the thirty-seat hybrid-electric regional airliner concept one step closer to actual line operations.