The Green Airside project aims for as many as 50 Velis Electro aircraft to be made available for rent to flight training organisations throughout the UK. This will enable affordable, ready-to-fly solutions for the new generation of flight training around the UK and further afield, boosting the Zero Emission training centres for the pilots of the future.
The Pipistrel Velis Electro is the first and so far still the only fully certified electric aircraft, having attained the EASA certification in 2019 (with a following UK CAA certification in place).
Sergey Grachev said: “The 50 Velis programme for British flying schools is now a reality! We have closed the deal with the investors and completed the order of the first ten aircraft this week. This is a massive and forward-thinking step from Pipistrel and its network of distributors to make a real change in saving the planet! We don’t just talk about it – we act now!”
Green Airside’s 50-Velis-programme is aimed at an average flight school, for which the Velis Electro is a great opportunity to deliver the most affordable training. It includes the aircraft, compatible electric charging solutions, VR flight simulators and online training courses specially designed by Pipistrel for the aircraft and its supporting infrastructure.
Pipistrel offers a broad portfolio of training solutions, ranging from cloud-based, multi-platform computer-based training theory courses, training sessions, simulators, electric-powered trainers, IFR-equipped trainers, aircraft approved for intentional spins and upset-prevention-and-recovery training, and more. Their solutions and aircraft are used for training pilots in environments that range from small aero clubs to flight schools focusing on training commercial pilots, as well as in demanding circumstances of integrated air-force training systems.
Since they are continuously adding more and more elements to their training solutions, as with the four-seat EASA-certified Panthera arriving in the next few years, Their flight schools already recognize the added value and complex advantages by partnering with them to offer complete and competitive training courses.
Pipistrel aircraft are known for their splendid performance due to their great aerodynamics and low mass. These aircraft are fast and climb great. This means that the aircraft reaches the traffic pattern altitude or practice area sooner, giving more productive learning time for the student. They enable the use of airfields and airstrips further away from home base, with the same sortie duration.
The performance also means safety. The student can fly out of almost any mistake on landing or other phases of flight with the application of power. Due to great aerodynamics and low empty mass also the stall and spin characteristics are benign. The training experience for the student pilot is much better because the aircraft has a very wide range of usable airspeed. It can fly slow or it can fly very fast. This teaches the student the correct pitch-power-trim procedures and energy management and prepares him well for other 21st-century-aircraft. Due to their excellent performance, the Pipistrel aircraft thrive in mountainous terrain and hot-high operations.
Pipistrel is an economic aircraft to operate, due to the fact that it delivers great performance with low horsepower. This is a great contribution to the economics of flight schools. Due to low mass, Pipistrel aircraft offer unprecedented payload. Not only that it enables the aircraft to be legal, it also has big operational advantages. For example, a Virus 121 with a 100 hp Rotax 912 burns 15 litres per hour and has a capacity of 100 litres of fuel. A very active flight school can count on one refuelling cycle per day. This means less time lost and less energy expanded. The low mass of the aircraft also means that handling in and out of hangars is much easier. If operating a fleet of Virus/Sinus/ALPHA Trainers, the hangar space can be used extremely effectively. Due to the high-wing-T-tail arrangements, the Pipistrels can be stored in a hangar like no other aircraft.
Due to their performance and equipment, the aircraft are also very versatile, sometimes one aircraft covering the learning curve scope of several trainer types. Pipistrel offers an unprecedented user experience. It is based on always being on the cutting edge of technology. Pipistrel fleet in a flight school will attract individuals who drive electric cars, use the latest nature-friendly technology and live green lifestyles. The technological level of Pipistrel aircraft is a statement and attraction that will also transfer to your flight school.
Furthermore, most of the new advances that Pipistrel makes can be retrofitted to your aircraft, meaning that each individual aircraft will always remain young and modern – it will always remain desirable.
Pipistrel also puts great emphasis on the user experiences of students and instructors. From making flight instruments numbers displayed on the ALPHA Trainers larger for mature, farsighted students, to easy cockpit entry for less agile students, to a very cool cockpit by keeping out the sun heat with tinted transparencies – Pipistrel makes training on and instructing on these aircraft a pure pleasure.
