Heart Aerospace completed the first flight of its X1 demonstrator this week at Plattsburgh International Airport in New York, marking a significant technical milestone for electric regional aviation. The aircraft, described by the company as the world’s largest battery-electric fixed-wing airplane to fly, features a 106-foot wingspan and a takeoff weight exceeding 25,000 pounds. The roughly 27-minute sortie was conducted under an FAA Special Airworthiness Certificate in the Experimental Category and used all-electric propulsion. Heart claims the test flight used only $5 of electricity.
The X1 is a full-scale technology demonstrator designed to validate key systems, aerodynamics, and organizational capabilities for Heart’s production aircraft, the ES-30
. That 30-seat hybrid-electric regional airliner is now targeted for type certification and entry into service in 2031, following earlier delays from previous 2028–2029 goals.
The ES-30
Heart claims the ES-30 will deliver more than 40% lower operating costs than legacy regional aircraft through reduced energy expenses, simplified electric propulsion and systems, and higher dispatch reliability. Range is projected at approximately 125 miles on batteries alone with a full passenger load, extending to around 500 miles in hybrid mode (or farther with reduced payload). Charging time is targeted at 30 minutes. By comparison, 27 minutes of flight on a CRJ200 could typically burn up to 750 pounds of fuel costing at least $400.
Heart Aerospace completed the first flight of its X1 demonstrator this week at Plattsburgh International Airport in New York, marking a significant technical milestone for electric regional aviation. The aircraft, described by the company as the world’s largest battery-electric fixed-wing airplane to fly, features a 106-foot wingspan and a takeoff weight exceeding 25,000 pounds. The roughly 27-minute sortie was conducted under an FAA Special Airworthiness Certificate in the Experimental Category and used all-electric propulsion. Heart claims the test flight used only $5 of electricity.
The X1 is a full-scale technology demonstrator designed to validate key systems, aerodynamics, and organizational capabilities for Heart’s production aircraft, the ES-30. That 30-seat hybrid-electric regional airliner is now targeted for type certification and entry into service in 2031, following earlier delays from previous 2028–2029 goals.
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