August 11, 2008 5:30 PM PDT
The Pipistrel, whose owner is pictured left and technician pictured right, also won a prize for flying quietly--a characteristic that's of increased importance as planes land nearer to communities. The Pipistrel used a carbon-fiber propeller this year to reduce its noise by at least 10 percent, but that shift cut the plane's fuel-efficiency by as much as 50 percent. The "Prius of airplanes," the 100-horsepower-engine Pipistrel typically can go as fast as 170 mph and get 50 miles per gallon.
Later this year, Pipistrel plans to begin selling the first commercially produced, two-passenger electric aircraft, the Taurus Electro. On one charge, the Taurus glider is expected to travel as much as 1,000 miles in a day. It will cost $133,000. (Pipistrel's Virus costs about $110,000.)
Photo by Stefanie Olsen/CNET News
