Test pilot Shun Xun in the E430 electric-powered airplane.

Yuneec International's E430 electric-powered aircraft made its first flights in China on Friday morning, June 12. After further flight testing is completed, the composite airplane will be shipped to the United States, where company officials hope to gain certification in the experimental category. Once that's achieved, Yuneec plans to ship the aircraft to Oshkosh for EAA AirVenture 2009, where Yuneec hopes to show the aviation world a glimpse into the future of recreational aviation.

A total of four flights took place on June 12, consisting of four short (one-minute), straight-line hops to test controls, response, and power systems. All went well, according to test pilot Shun Xun, who reported the E430 had plenty of power, was smooth (vibration-free) and that the noise levels inside were low. Takeoff speed was 65 km/h (40 mph) and flight speed was 90 km/h (56 mph). Xun, 35, is a 3,600-hour ex-Chinese military jet pilot who has scratch-built and flown his own coaxial helicopter.

"We very much want to do everything we can so we can demonstrate the airplane at Oshkosh," said Clive Coote, Yuneec managing director located in the United Kingdom. "Everyone is very excited."

After further exploring the flight envelope, Coote said the E430 will be shipped to Los Angeles, California, and transported to Camarillo Airport. There it will undergo FAA certification testing with test pilot and longtime EAA member Dave Morss, EAA 133735, at the controls.

Yuneec will have two separate exhibits at Oshkosh and will display the E430 along with the E-PAC electric paramotor unit; a Part 103-legal Flightstar E-Spyder electric ultralight from Flightstar, Inc.; and an electric hang glider, code-named E-Delta. Exhibit locations: 420/421 in the Main Aircraft Display area and 934 in the Ultralight area. The company will also display the Yuneec Power Drive electric flight plug-and-play systems. For more information, visit the company's website.

E430 Specifications:
Wing Span: 13.8 m (45.2 ft)
Fuselage Length: 6.68 m (21.9 ft)
Empty Weight: 178 kg (392 lbs) (No Battery)
Maximum Takeoff Weight: 430 kg (946 lbs)
Motor Output: 40 kw (54 hp) @ 2,450rpm
Battery Type: Lithium Polymer
Battery Weight (6 Packs): 72 kg (158.5 lbs)