DENVER – Bye Aerospace has launched Aero Electric Aircraft Corp. (AEAC) to produce a solar-electric light-sport aircraft Sun Flyer under a license agreement from PC-Aero.
The company will bring to market the first U.S.-sponsored, practical all-electric airplane serving the training, recreational and general aviation markets, AEAC officials said.
Industry veteran Charlie Johnson was named AEAC’s president and Chief Operating Officer. Johnson, who for the past four years has been involved with various projects to develop practical applications of electric propulsion systems for light aircraft, said AEAC intends to serve general aviation by providing a clean, renewable energy, durable, solar-electric aircraft.
“Our primary focus will be flight schools with a high utilization rates and aircraft rental operations,” Johnson said. “We believe the lower operating costs, along with the simplification of the frequent maintenance checks required by the FAA for training operators, will result in significantly lower overall costs for Sun Flyer.”
Through a license relationship with PC-Aero, essentially all of the preliminary design and development of the specially modified “Elektra One” single-seat technology demonstrator for Sun Flyer has been completed and is expected to be unveiled in late July at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh.
AEAC is scheduled to receive an experimental prototype Sun Flyer aircraft at the end of the first development period.
George E. Bye, chairman of the board of AEAC and CEO of Bye Aerospace, announced the launch of AEAC with Calin Gologan, founder and CEO of PC-Aero, at the 8th Annual CAFE Electric Aircraft Symposium in northern California last month.
“Interest from participants at the symposium was tremendous,” Bye said. “The benefits of electric propulsion, along with demands from pilot training schools to produce a durable, reliable aircraft, are converging, and Sun Flyer is the result.”
For more information: www.AEAC.aero