fore and aft wheel, and a fixed wheel under the wings. Unusually for an aircraft, the main wheel is powered by a 6 kW electric motor, which allows the plane to be taxied without the main motors, and is able to accelerate it to for takeoffs. Having the takeoff run performed by the undercarriage relieves some of the burden on the flight motors. In December 2014 Airbus announced that DAHER-SOCATA would complete the design work on the aircraft and certify it. VoltAir, an Airbus subsidiary, developed the initial prototype and worked with Daher-Socata during the testing phase as the project manager. At this point the aircraft became the VoltAir E-Fan. On 30 April 2015 the company announced that the aircraft would be produced at Pau Pyrénées Airport, south-west France, at a new facility, that would be near the DAHER-SOCATA plant at Tarbes. First deliveries were at that time expected at the end of 2017 or early 2018. In April 2017 Airbus cancelled production of the E-Fan, preferring to concentrate on a proposed hybrid-electric, regional jet-sized aircraft, with an initial service date of 2030. Operational history On 9 July 2015, the E-Fan crossed the English Channel from Lydd Airport to Calais–Dunkerque Airport. It was flown by Didier Esteyne, the chief engineer of the E-Fan. Initially this was claimed as the first electric aircraft to cross the English Channel, but it has since been pointed out that there were previous such flights, including MacCready Solar Challenger as long ago as 1981, and Airbus now say it was the "first all-electric two-engine aircraft" to make the crossing. Siemens has sponsored electric equipment on the E-fan, but not motors. Variants E-Fan Two-seat concept aircraft and technology demonstrator, first flown March 2014. E-Fan 2.0 Proposed all-electric two-seat production variant, initially forecast to fly in 2017. E-Fan 4.0 Proposed hybrid-electric four-seat variant, to fly 2019; a kerosene fuelled generator would have extended endurance from 2 h to 3 h 30 min. E-Thrust Proposed 90-seat regional jet based on the principles of the E-Fan. Specifications See also Airbus E-Fan X References External links Airbus Group E-Aircraft Day Airbus Group E-Fan Brochure Airbus aircraft Twin-motored electric aircraft 2010s international experimental aircraft Ducted fan-powered aircraft Low-wing aircraft T-tail aircraft Aircraft first flown in 2014