France " Airbus" flew its electric plane across the English Channel for the first time Friday, hours after a French pilot made a similar voyage in his electric plane journeys seen as a symbolically important step toward making electronic flight viable in the long term. European planemaker Airbus flew its E-fan electric plane, which operates exclusively on batteries, from Lydd, England, to Calais, France, on Friday morning. Since there's no oil or water, the 20-foot long, 1300-pound jet releases zero emissions. Several companies in different countries are trying to develop electric planes in hopes of offering a fuel-free and emissions-free flight alternative for the future. On Thursday night, pilot Hugues Duval flew from Dover, England, to Calais on a two-engine, one-seat Cricri plane, which weighs about 100 kilograms (220 pounds). He said reached 150 kilometers (90 miles) an hour on his 52-kilometer (31-mile) journey. Duval told The Associated Press that his successful flight was a "relief" and an "important moment" after years of developing the plane and flying it over land. Airbus' E-fan took its maiden voyage in March 2014, and has taken off 100 times since, its latest at Paris's International Air Show last month. Airbus aims to put the two-seater on the market in 2017, targeting sales at training facilities for entry-level pilots. -- End 13:36 LOCAL TIME 10:36 GMT تغريد
