Pipistrel-USA Wins Big in Green Flight Challenge

October 3, 2011 — Forget about science fiction. A NASA contest that aimed to inspire the development of more fuel-efficient aircraft and spark the start of a new electric airplane industry has done just that. NASA awarded the CAFE Green Flight Challenge first place prize of $1.35 million — the largest prize in aviation history — to the team Pipistrel-USA.com of State College, Pennsylvania. Second place honors and a prize of $120,000 went to team eGenius, of Ramona, California. The technologies demonstrated may end up in general aviation aircraft, spawning new jobs and new industries for the 21st century. Fourteen teams originally registered for the competition. Three teams successfully met all requirements and competed in the skies over the Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport. The competition, sponsored by Google, was managed by the Comparative Aircraft Flight Efficiency (CAFE) Foundation under an agreement with NASA. "NASA congratulates Pipistrel-USA.com for proving that ultra-efficient aviation is within our grasp," said Joe Parrish, NASA's acting chief technologist at NASA Headquarters. "Today we've shown that electric aircraft have moved beyond science fiction and are now in the realm of practice." The winning aircraft had to fly 200 miles in less than two hours and use less than one gallon of fuel per occupant, or the equivalent in electricity. The first and second place teams, which were both electric-powered, achieved twice the fuel efficiency requirement of the competition, meaning they flew 200 miles using just over a half-gallon of fuel equivalent per passenger. "Two years ago the thought of flying 200 miles at 100 mph in an electric aircraft was pure science fiction," said Jack W. Langelaan, team leader of Pipistrel-USA.com. "Now, we are all looking forward to the future of electric aviation." Last week's competition marks the culmination of more than two years of aircraft design, development and testing for the teams. It represents the dawn of a new era in efficient flight and is the first time that full-scale electric aircraft have performed in competition. Collectively, the competing teams invested more than $4 million in pursuit of the challenge prize purse.

A Pipistrel-USA team member wipes down the Taurus G4 aircraft prior to competition as part of the 2011 Green Flight Challenge. Photo credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls CAFE Foundation President Brien A. Seeley M.D., left, NASA Acting Chief Technologist Joe Parrish, 2nd from left, and Pipistrel-USA Team Lead Jack Langelaan, center with suit, and the entire Pipistrel-USA, Taurus G4 aircraft team pose for a photograph shortly after winning the 2011 Green Flight Challenge. Photo credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls The e-Genius aircraft takes off during the 2011 Green Flight Challenge. Photo credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

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