{{short description|Electric helicopter pilot}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}} {{Use Australian English|date=December 2022}} {{Infobox person | name = Pascal Chrétien | image = Pascal DM Chretien 2017.jpg | birth_date = 7 April 1968 | birth_place = | occupation = helicopter pilot, engineer, inventor | awards = Guinness World Record }}
'''Pascal Chrétien''' (born 7 April 1968) is a French-Australian commercial helicopter pilot and engineer with degrees in electronics and aerospace who designed, built and test flew the world’s first crewed electric helicopter the Solution F/Chretien Helicopter on 12 August 2011.<ref>[https://lithiumbalance.com/wp-content/uploads/World_first_manned_electric_helicopter.pdf First manned electric helicopter flies]</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gizmag.com/first-successful-manned-electric-helicopter-flight/19716/ |title=Modern-day aviation pioneer achieves world's first untethered, manned electric helicopter flight |publisher=Gizmag.com |date= 5 September 2011|accessdate=2013-05-09}}</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20220517182737/http://www.rotorandwing.com/2012/09/26/designer-of-electric-helo-reflects-on-2011-flight-tests/ Designer of Electric Helo Reflects on 2011 Flight Tests]</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.scribd.com/doc/110671632/Vertiflite-First-Electric-Helicopter-April-2012 |title=Vertiflite First Electric Helicopter April 2012 |publisher=Scribd.com |date= |accessdate=2013-05-09}}</ref> The helicopter, built for the French company Solution F,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.s329831901.onlinehome.fr/1ere-mondiale-en-provence-le-1er-helicoptere-100-electrique |title=1ère Mondiale en Provence : le premier hélicoptère électrique |publisher=Solutionf.fr |date= |accessdate=9 May 2013|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20131207050731/http://www.solutionf.fr/1ere-mondiale-en-provence-le-1er-helicoptere-100-electrique/|archivedate =7 December 2013}}</ref> set a ''Guinness World Record'' and received the ''IDTechEx Electric Vehicles Land Sea & Air'' award.<ref>Guinness World Records (2013) [https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/First-electric-helicopter First electric helicopter], retrieved 9 May 2013</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.electricvehiclesresearch.com/articles/4315/electric-vehicles-land-sea-and-air-usa-2012-award-winners |title=Electric Vehicles Land, Sea and Air USA 2012 - Award winners |publisher=Electric Vehicles Research |date=2012-04-05 |accessdate=2013-05-09|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180718150607/https://www.electricvehiclesresearch.com/articles/4315/electric-vehicles-land-sea-and-air-usa-2012-award-winners|archive-date= 18 July 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> The prototype<ref>Vertical Flight Society [https://gallery.vtol.org/album/GZwJ/ Solution F Helicopter]</ref> is on permanent display at the Musée de l'air et de l'espace in Paris le Bourget, France.<ref>Air and Space Museum [https://www.museeairespace.fr/aller-plus-haut/collections/helicoptere-electrique-experimental/ First electric helicopter]</ref>
Chrétien has been pioneering electromagnetic transmissions<ref>[https://nari.arc.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/attachments/19_Kontinos_Hoppers_PhaseI_final.pdf NASA Aeronautics Mission Directorate FY11 Seedling Phase I Technical Seminar; Page 19]</ref> and hybrid propulsion applied to aircraft since 2002<ref>{{cite web |author=Dubois, Thierry |url=http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/aviation-international-news/2012-12-04/electric-helo-designer-pitches-hybrid-powertrain-future-helo-power |title=Electric Helo Designer Pitches Hybrid Powertrain For Future Helo Power | Aviation International News |publisher=Ainonline.com |date= |accessdate=2013-05-09 |archive-date=20 January 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130120034258/http://ainonline.com/aviation-news/aviation-international-news/2012-12-04/electric-helo-designer-pitches-hybrid-powertrain-future-helo-power |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref><ref>Chretien, Pascal, M.E. (undated), [https://www.solutionf.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Paving-the-way-towards-hybrid-helicopter-rev-6A-.pdf Paving the way to hybrid helicopters], retrieved 9 May 2013</ref> and holds several patents in the field.<ref>Espacenet (4 April 2017), [https://worldwide.espacenet.com/searchResults?locale=en_EP&compact=false&ST=advanced&IN=Pascal+Chretien&DB=EPODOC], retrieved 2 April 2017</ref> Chrétien obtained commercial helicopter pilot licences in Canada and Australia, in 1993 and 1994, respectively. He has aerial work and aircraft testing experience.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.idtechex.com/events/presentations/challenges-of-aircraft-hybridization-003998.asp |title=Challenges of Aircraft Hybridization |publisher=IDTechEx |date= |accessdate=2013-05-09}}</ref>
thumb|World's First manned electric helicopter
==Biography== Pascal Chrétien obtained two professional helicopter pilot licenses in Canada in 1993 and Australia in 1994, with experience in aerial work and flight testing.<ref>[http://www.idtechex.com/events/presentations/challenges-of-aircraft-hybridization-003998.asp Challenges of Aircraft Hybridization] - IDTechEx.com, 2013</ref>
Since 2002, he has been innovating in Hybrid vehicle and electromagnetic transmissions applied to aircraft.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20130120034258/http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/aviation-international-news/2012-12-04/electric-helo-designer-pitches-hybrid-powertrain-future-helo-power Helo Designer Pitches Hybrid Powertrain For Future Helo Power] - Thierry Dubois, AIN online, 4 décembre 2012</ref><ref> [https://nari.arc.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/attachments/19_Kontinos_Hoppers_PhaseI_final.pdf Combined Electric Aircraft and Airspace Management Design for Metro-Regional Public Transportation] - NASA, 5-7 juin 2012</ref><ref>Pascal Chretien, M.E. [https://www.solutionf.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Paving-the-way-towards-hybrid-helicopter-rev-6A-.pdf Paving the way to hybrid helicopters] (consulté le 9 mai 2013).</ref> Among other things, he holds several patents in this field.<ref>[https://worldwide.espacenet.com/searchResults?locale=fr_EP&compact=false&ST=advanced&IN=Pascal+Chretien&DB=EPODOC Liste de résultats : Chrétien Pascal], Espacenet</ref>
A professional helicopter pilot and electronic engineer specializing in Electromagnetism, Pascal Chrétien designed, built, and flew the world's first human-piloted electric helicopter on August 4 and 12, 2011.<ref> [https://lithiumbalance.com/wp-content/uploads/World_first_manned_electric_helicopter.pdf First manned electric helicopter flies] - Lithium Balance </ref><ref>Loz Blain, [http://newatlas.com/first-successful-manned-electric-helicopter-flight/19716/ Modern-day aviation pioneer achieves world's first untethered, manned electric helicopter flight], ''New Atlas'', 5 septembre 2011</ref><ref> Thierry Dubois, [https://web.archive.org/web/20220517182737/http://www.rotorandwing.com/2012/09/26/designer-of-electric-helo-reflects-on-2011-flight-tests/ Designer of Electric Helo Reflects on 2011 Flight Tests], ''Rotor & Wing'', 26 septembre 2012</ref><ref>[https://www.scribd.com/doc/110671632/Vertiflite-First-Electric-Helicopter-April-2012 Vertiflite : First Electric Helicopter], Scribd, avril 2012</ref>
He designed and built this helicopter for the French company Solution F. For his helicopter and its record-breaking flight, he received the Guinness World Records and the IDTechEx Electric Vehicles Land Sea & Air award (USA). The prototype is on display at the Musée de l'air et de l'espace in Le Bourget in the Helicopter Hall.
== References == {{reflist|30em}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Chretien, Pascal}} Category:1968 births Category:Living people Category:French aerospace engineers Category:20th-century French inventors
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