Airbus Fuel Cell research aircraft F-WWDB visits Shannon
Airbus' A320 Fuel Cell Demonstartaor aircraft registered F-WWDB visited Shannon this morning. The aircraft is msn 659 and still wears basic Niki colors with whom the aircraft was regsistered OE-LOE. Prior to its Austrian identity the aircraft was registered D-ALAE with Aero Lloyd.
The Fuel Cell project is a joint venture between Airbus, Michelin and DLR - Deutches Zentrum für Luft und Raumfahrt (German centre for air and space travel) and first flew in July 2007. The aim of the project is to develop a fuel cell technology which can be used to power onboard ancillary equipment. The technology produces electricity using hydrogen and oxygen with water as the byproduct. The cargo bay on F-WWDB has been modified to accept the fuel cell which produces 20kW of power which is used to drive a hydraulic pump used for controlling ailerons and the rudder. After the initial development work had been carried out by DLR (with whom the aircraft was registered D-ATRA) the aircrfat was transferred to Airbus in July 2006 and registered F-WWDB. In May 2008 the aircraft received its first public viewing at the Berlin Airshow.
Pictured above F-WWDB operating flight AIB 659, is seen on taxiway Charlie at Shannon after landing on R06.