On Wednesday 10 June, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) announced that it had completed its type-certification* of the Velis Electro, a two-seater plane capable of up to 80 minutes of flight, built by aerospace company Pipistrel Aircraft, headquartered in Slovenia.
The Pipistrel Velis Electro is powered by an electric motor fed by two battery packs and can carry up to 600kg. Recharge time varies between 40 to 70 minutes, making it well suited to its intended function as a training aircraft.
This is the first step towards the commercial use of electric aircraft, which is needed to make emission-free aviation feasible.
