Engineers working on NASA’s X-57 Maxwell are closing in on the all-electric experimental airplane’s first flight test, expected as early as September 20.
An artist rendering of the final iteration of the all-electric X-57 Maxwell in flight. [Courtesy: NASA]
Key Takeaways:
NASA's X-57 Maxwell, an all-electric experimental airplane and the agency's first piloted X-plane in two decades, is nearing its initial flight, potentially as early as September 20.
The project's primary objective is to gather research data to help establish certification standards for the emerging electric aircraft industry.
Beginning as a modified Tecnam P2006T, the X-57 will evolve into a final iteration featuring a custom high-aspect-ratio wing and a total of 14 electric motors to advance zero-emission aviation technology.
The development team working on NASA’s X-57 Maxwell are closing in on the all-electric experimental airplane’s first flight test, which the agency said could take place as soon as September 20, if all goes as planned.
This initial flight will make the aircraft—named for the 19th century Scottish scientist James Clerk Maxwell—NASA’s first piloted X-plane in two decades.
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Thom is a former senior editor for FLYING. Previously, his freelance reporting appeared in aviation industry magazines. Thom also spent three decades as a TV and digital journalist at CNN’s bureaus in Washington and Atlanta, eventually specializing in aviation. He has reported from air shows in Oshkosh, Farnborough and Paris. Follow Thom on Twitter @thompatterson.
