The 2011 Green Flight Challenge Sponsored by Google

The 2011 Green Flight Challenge
Sponsored By Google

Astounding Final Results from the Green Flight Challenge Sponsored by Google

The 2011 Green Flight Challenge sponsored by Google marks an historic achievement in aviation—the first demonstration of practical, cross-country emission-free flight. Team Pipistrel-USA.com’s winning 4 seat, electric-powered aircraft, the Taurus G4, flew nearly 200 miles non-stop while achieving 403.5 passenger MPG! Its astounding efficiency was more than twice that of the piston-powered aircraft in the competition. Equally promising: Team e-Genius won the Lindbergh Prize for Quietest Aircraft, with a peak take off noise of just 59.5 dBA at a 250 foot sideline. This achievement heralds the real transformative potential unique to electric powered aircraft—the capability to be quiet enough to land very near dwellings and businesses.

Years from now, these first Green Flight Challenge team members will be recognized as the pioneers of the Age of Electric Flight. CAFE is already discussing plans for GFC II and will publish more on that here soon.

The complete CAFE results for the 2011 Green Flight Challenge sponsored by Google.

Thanks to Everyone Who Made the Green Flight Challenge Happen!

The CAFE Foundation wishes to thank all of their sponsors, partners and volunteers for making this historic competition happen. Together we have achieved something great and the future for Green Flight looks bright!

The Google Green Flight Challenge Exposition hosted by NASA

The Google Green Flight Challenge Exposition hosted by NASA on October 3, 2011 saw all of the special aircraft that competed in the challenge on display at Moffett Field. Nearly 20 leading green aviation technology exhibitors showed their products and ideas in the tent tech faire nearby the aircraft ramp.

NASA's Chief Technologist Joe Parrish presided at NASA TV's 30 minute Awards Ceremony inside the NASA Ames Conference Center, where he awarded the NASA prizes of $120,000 for Eric Raymond, leader of the 2nd Place Team e-Genius, and $1,350,000 for Jack W. Langelaan, leader of the 1st Place Team Pipistrel-USA.com. The ceremony included sponsor Google representative Anita Yuen expressing Google's commitment to green technologies and concluded with the unveiling of the beautiful CAFE Green Flight Challenge Trophy designed by Ralph Carlson (pictured).

Jack W. Langelaan, leader of the 1st Place Team Pipistrel-USA.com poses with
the CAFE Green Flight Challenge Trophy

2011 Green Flight Challenge (GFC) Sponsored By Google

Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport

Mark Moore, Brien Seeley and Andy Petro announce the GFC at EAA AirVenture 2009
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Today’s environmental and energy concerns compel aviation to go “Green”. To lead the way, the $1.65M NASA-funded Green Flight Challenge is a flight competition for quiet, practical, Green aircraft that will take place at the CAFE Foundation Flight Test Center at Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport in Santa Rosa, California. It is the largest-ever prize for civil aviation and there are currently 13 teams entered. Team aircraft must fly 200 miles in less than two hours using the energy equivalent of less than 1 gallon of gasoline per occupant. Team aircraft include those propelled by gasoline, bio-diesel, hydrogen, and electricity.