The FAA has granted a light-sport aircraft (LSA) airworthiness exemption for the Pipistrel Velis Electro, opening up flight training in an electric aircraft within the United States.
The FAA exemption allows U.S. flight schools to use the electric aircraft in their flight training programs, company officials explained.
“This is a great day for flight training organizations and aspiring pilots,” said Kriya Shortt, president and CEO of Textron Aviation’s eAviation. “With this exemption, the cost-barrier to pursuing primary flight training can be substantially reduced. We are thankful to the FAA for its support in bringing more opportunities for electric aviation to the United States.”
In 2020, Pipistrel’s Velis Electro became the world’s first, and currently only, electric aircraft to receive full type-certification from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). This achievement followed a series of electric aircraft introductions since the company began research and development of electric propulsion in 2000.
Pipistrel, which offers a family of gliders and light aircraft with both electric and combustion engines, has delivered more than 2,500 aircraft worldwide since its founding in 1989 and has both hybrid and electric propulsion models under development. Pipistrel is part of the Textron eAviation segment of Textron.
For more information: Pipistrel-Aircraft.com
I’m surprised it didn’t get a type certificate. It’s type-certificated by EASA and I understood FAA certification is relatively easy if you have EASA – and type certification wouldn’t require a waiver for the electric powerplant, as LSA does.