Patent ID: 7799477

Claim:
An aircraft, in particular an airplane, having at least one fuel cell ( 10 ), at least one supply line ( 30 ) which connects the fuel cell ( 10 ) to a fuel supply, at least one outlet line ( 50 ) by which fuel supplied by the supply line ( 30 ) and not consumed in the fuel cell ( 10 ) is drained off, and means for influencing fuel flow through the fuel cell ( 10 ), wherein the means for the influencing of the fuel flow have the combination of a pressure regulator ( 34 ) located in the at least one supply line ( 30 ) upstream of said fuel cell ( 10 ) and a restrictor member ( 52 ) located in the at least one outlet line ( 50 ) downstream of said fuel cell ( 10 ), the pressure regulator ( 34 ) is structured and arranged to reduce pressure of the fuel supply to operating pressure of the fuel cell ( 10 ), the restrictor member ( 52 ) is structured and arranged to restrict and thereby reduce flow of the fuel flowing through the outlet line ( 50 ), a flow regulator is omitted, the fuel cell ( 10 ) is operated at constant pressure, and the aircraft has a ram air duct in which a pressure level dependent upon altitude prevails and the outlet line ( 10 ) opens into the ram air duct with the restrictor member ( 52 ) arranged in the outlet line ( 50 ) to ensure hydrogen flow through the fuel cell ( 10 ) does not exceed a surge limit and the fuel cell ( 10 ) is always supplied with sufficient hydrogen flow at all pressure levels.