The modified glider at the centre of Airbus UpNext�s hydrogen contrail-studying experiment, Blue Condor, made its first hydrogen-powered flight over Nevada in the United States on 8 November. The flight was the company�s first ever to use hydrogen as...
The modified glider at the centre of Airbus UpNext�s hydrogen contrail-studying experiment, Blue Condor, made its first hydrogen-powered flight over Nevada in the United States on 8 November. The flight was the company�s first ever to use hydrogen as the sole fuel source, and it kicked off a test campaign that will conclude in a contrail-measuring mission in early 2024.
Hydrogen offers aviation a path to low-carbon operations, yet its combustion produces contrails just like conventional jet fuel. Hydrogen contrails, however, differ significantly. They don�t contain soot or sulphur oxides, but do hold nitrous oxides and a lot of water vapour: up to 2.5 times more than kerosene contrails. Both are considered climate-impacting emissions, and as such the aviation industry has a duty to address them.�
Therefore, as part of the ZEROe project, Airbus is committed to studying the composition of these little-understood hydrogen contrails. Using a modified Arcus-J glider, Airbus UpNext�s�Blue Condor project will take a small hydrogen-combustion engine as high as 30,000 feet and compare its emissions to a similar-sized kerosene engine, flying alongside onboard a second aircraft. Both gliders are operated by The�Perlan Project and the hydrogen engine was assembled by German company Aero Design Works.�
Blue Condor has now entered its flight test phase. The 8 November flight lasted around 30 minutes and its aim was to increase the hydrogen engine�s thrust at 7,000 feet, while stabilising the aircraft at different speeds. Two further flights have taken place since, performing tests including an engine start at 10,000 feet.�
The Blue Condor team plans to operate a first contrail-studying operation during Nevada�s cold-weather window early next year. Then, the Arcus-J will be towed to test altitude by a Grob Egrett aircraft instrumented by the German aerospace lab DLR. This �chase� aircraft will then follow behind, using sensors to collect and analyse contrail and atmospheric data. The flight promises to be a big step in furthering understanding of hydrogen�s climate impact, and ultimately in reaching Airbus� ZEROe target entry into service in 2035.�
