The MAHEPA Panthera, a Pipistrel aircraft powered by a hybrid-electric powertrain that can use sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), reached a milestone in its flight testing in late October 2021.
The aircraft took off from Cerklje Airport in Slovenia, performing all-electric takeoffs, according to Pipistrel officials, who say this demonstrates the possibility of local zero-emission flights.
“Expectations set by prior ground tests were only confirmed by the powerful, yet quiet performance of the MAHEPA Panthera, which has all the characteristics to become a flying test-bed for future developments in hybrid aviation,” officials added.
The MAHEPA consortium, which includes Pipistrel Vertical Solutions, Compact Dynamics, DLR, H2Fly, Politecnico di Milano, TU Delft, University of Maribor, and University of Ulm, is a pioneer project in the development of hybrid-electric technologies for aircraft.
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IFR? In this electric plane.?
Hybrid. Electro plus Petrol.
This is technology demonstrator.
Practically any aeroplane can be IFR equipped.