Airbus cries foul over first electric cross-Channel flight by Frenchman

Hugues Duval flies one-seater electric plane from Calais to UK and back hours before Didier Esteyne's journey in Airbus E-Fan aircraft

A French pilot has made the first flight in an electric plane across the Channel just hours before a rival Airbus venture also completed the journey.

Airbus immediately cried foul, claiming Hugues Duval's effort should not be counted as the first official electric-powered flight as his Crici plane is believed to have been launched from another aircraft.