EASA Flips the On Switch for Electric Aircraft

Patrick Ky, executive director of The European Union Aviation and Space Agency (EASA), announced on June 10, 2020 that EASA had given two thumbs up to the world’s first fully electric aircraft.

The Pipistrel Velis Electro is a two-seat aircraft intended primarily for pilot training, according to Slovenia-based Pipistrel. The aircraft was certified in less than three years.

On May 18, 2020, EASA certified its first electric engine, the E-811-268MVLC, used in the Velis Electro. Orders for more than 30 of the aircraft have already been placed and will be delivered for use in seven countries.

Among the first customers is AlpinAirPlanes GmBH. AlpinAirPlanes CEO Marc B. Coprataux said they will operate 12 of the aircraft at 10 airfields in Switzerland. Each airfield will be equipped with approximately 1,600 square feet (150 square meters) of photovoltaic panels. The panels will produce enough power for 12,000 flight hours annually on the Velis Electro. The development signals an emissions-free aviation future.

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