Electric Planes Seen as real Possibility

Don’t laugh. It’s real. According to the Seattle Post Intelligencer, the giant Boeing Corporation will be looking into doing just that: designing and building electric airplane engines.

Reportedly, the firm’s engineering staff has been engaged in the development of fuel cell technology capable of powering airplanes. Boeing bosses announced earlier this month that an actual prototype airplane is in the works, and there are plans to conduct a first test flight by late 2004 or early 2005.

Workers at the firm’s Research and Technology Center in Madrid, Spain, have been leading the project. Spokespersons say if the tests are successful, the fuel cell technology could then be applied to commercial jet liners.

Corporate sources say the firm is looking for commercial partners to develop the project further. A British firm, Intelligent Energy, has already been selected as one of the partners.