Last week NASA called a halt to their X-57 Maxwell electric aircraft project citing an inability to conduct a test flight safely in the time available.
The X-57 was to be a P2006-based electric aircraft powered by 14 engines installed in the leading edge of the wing.
According to NASA, problems were found with the technology that meant the aircraft couldn't be flown safely.
"Finalising aircraft operations by September 2023 will not incorporate first flight of the X-57 aircraft," NASA said. "The project encountered several challenges to safe flight, including mechanical issues late into its lifecycle and a lack of availability of critical components required to develop experimental hardware.
"Given the approaching planned end of aircraft operations, the timeline would not allow the team to reach acceptable flight conditions."
Despite the failure of the X-57 to get airborne, NASA director of NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center Brad Flick said the project had delivered a lot of lessons.
“NASA’s goal is to drive innovation through groundbreaking research and technology development," he said. "The X-57 project team has done just that by providing foundational information to industry through lessons learned, and we’re seeing the benefits borne out by American commercial aviation companies that are aiming to change the way we fly.
“I’m incredibly proud of their tenacity and ingenuity as they led the way in advancing electrified propulsion. The future of electrified propulsion is possible because of their contributions.”
The decision to stop the X-57 development comes only weeks after Tecnam elected to scrap their own P-VOLT electric aircraft project.