Heart Aerospace completes first flight of X1 demonstrator

Heart Aerospace flew its all-electric X1 demonstrator for the first time on August 12, 2026 at Plattsburgh International Airport in New York, under an FAA Special Airworthiness Certificate. The piloted 27-minute flight reached 1,100 feet and drew more than a megawatt from the battery-electric propulsion system, making X1 the largest electric aircraft ever flown. Heart says the milestone de-risks its planned 30-seat hybrid-electric ES-30 airliner, which has 250 aircraft orders plus 120 options and purchase rights from carriers including United and Air Canada.