The flight was performed by Mr. Jussi Frisk from Helsinki Electric Aviation Association with a Pipistrel Alpha Electro aircraft, which is registered as an ultralight in Finland. Photo courtesy of Pipistrel

Helsinki, Finland – August 01, 2018

The 31. July was a day which we will remember with pride - this was the day of the first official flight of an electric aircraft in Finland.

The historic moment happened at the Helsinki Malmi airport.
The aircraft took off... and after a few seconds the astonished spectators could not hear it anymore.

The flight was performed by Mr. Jussi Frisk from Helsinki Electric Aviation Association with a Pipistrel Alpha Electro aircraft, which is registered as an ultralight in Finland. Photo courtesy of Pipistrel

The flight was performed by Mr. Jussi Frisk from Helsinki Electric Aviation Association with a Pipistrel Alpha Electro aircraft, which is registered as an ultralight in Finland.

The flight was performed by Mr. Jussi Frisk from Helsinki Electric Aviation Association with a Pipistrel Alpha Electro aircraft, which is registered as an ultralight in Finland. Photo courtesy of Pipistrel

The two factors which make airliner traffic the most expensive are at the moment fuel price and maintenance price. In electric aircraft, both are only about one tenth of the conventional aircraft.

Jussi Frisk (left) and Janne Vasama. Photo courtesy of Pipistrel

Mr. Janne Vasama, chair of the Helsinki Electric Aviation Association, praised the progress:
"This is the first step towards more nature-friendly future of Finland aviation. Flying by electric vehicles is beneficial to atmosphere - and will in the future increase Finnish air traffic, which will be able to return to urban transport - from Lappeenranta to Turku or Kuopio to Tampere."

Pipistrel Alpha Electro aircraft, which is registered as an ultralight in Finland. Photo courtesy of Pipistrel

Mr. Matti Vanhanen, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the Parliament, spoke on the similar lines:
"In a very short time span we can foresee development of an electric aircraft network, which could serve the whole country. There are about 80 airports all around Finland and a network for this type of activity is a serious possibility."

The flight was performed by Mr. Jussi Frisk from Helsinki Electric Aviation Association with a Pipistrel Alpha Electro aircraft, which is registered as an ultralight in Finland. Photo courtesy of Pipistrel

Irmeli Rytkönen, Honorary Consul of Slovenia in Helsinki, pointed out that Slovenia and Finland share the same vision about the future and advantages of electric aviation.

She stressed the potential that Finland and Slovenia have in the area of high-tech cooperation.

The flight was performed by Mr. Jussi Frisk (center) from Helsinki Electric Aviation Association with a Pipistrel Alpha Electro aircraft, which is registered as an ultralight in Finland. Photo courtesy of Pipistrel

A large crowd of curious spectators were present at the take-over event, and it was covered by all major media representatives.


More info:

https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-10331126  

Pipistrel Alpha Electro aircraft. Photo courtesy of Pipistrel

Alpha Electro, the new 2-seat electric trainer: the greenest way of learning to fly!

Performance of the Alpha Electro 2-seat electric trainer is tailored to the needs of flight schools.

Short take-off distance, powerful 1000+ fpm climb, and endurance of one hour plus reserve.

Pipistrel Alpha Electro aircraft. Photo courtesy of Pipistrel

The Alpha Electro is optimized for traffic-pattern operations, where 13% of energy is recuperated on every approach, increasing endurance and at the same time enabling short-field landings.

Pipistrel Alpha Electro aircraft. Photo courtesy of Pipistrel

Ivo Boscarol, General Manager of Pipistrel says:
"With the ever growing cost of fuel it is time to rethink pilot training. Our solution is the first practical all-electric trainer! Technologies developed specially for this aircraft cut the cost of ab-initio pilot training by as much as 70%, making flying more affordable than ever before. Being able to conduct training on smaller airfields closer to towns with zero C02 emissions and minimum noise is also a game changer! Alpha Electro meets microlight and ASTM LSA criteria, as well as standards for electric propulsion. Alpha Electro is our 5th electric aircraft project and the second to result as a commercial product."

Pipistrel Alpha Electro aircraft. Photo courtesy of Pipistrel

The serially produced "Alpha Electro" aircraft shares an airframe which has been proven as excellent by hundreds of Pipistrel's aircraft flying worldwide.

Pipistrel Alpha Electro aircraft - cockpit. Photo courtesy of Pipistrel

The electric powertrain is operated with one simple lever, enabling the crew to focus on learning piloting skills!

Pipistrel Alpha Electro aircraft. Photo courtesy of Pipistrel

With the smart charger, using the ALPHA Electro is as simple as charging a mobile phone.

Pipistrel Alpha Electro aircraft. Charger and charging station. Photo courtesy of Pipistrel

Even if you only fly for fun and not to train future generations of pilots, the almost silent cockpit, the immediate response of the powertrain and the lack of exhaust emissions will make you feel the pioneering spirit of electric flight.

Charger and charging station. Photo courtesy of Pipistrel

More info:

https://www.pipistrel.si/  

Charging station Photo courtesy of Pipistrel

About Pipistrel

Pipistrel d.o.o Ajdovščina has been established in 1989, as the first private aircraft producer in former Yugoslavia.

Back then, under the totalitarian Yugoslavian regime, it was almost unimaginable for a private person to make aircraft at home.


Alternative aviation really was alternative in those times.

Being a private aircraft producer doesn't seem like a big deal nowadays, but 25 years ago, offering an alternative to military aviation and army-regulated sports airfields was what really opened flying to the wider public.

Therefore, Pipistrel can rightfully claim the title of the pioneer of alternative flying in Slovenia.

Under the former Yugoslavia, alternative and ultra-light flying was all but illegal. It was because of these prohibitions that we named our company "Pipistrel".

The airfield where we began our first flying attempts belonged to the army - so the ultra-light pilots, if they wanted to fly, had to do it in secret.

They had to wait until the regular sports and army pilots finished flying for the day, locked up the hangars and left - and then try to sneak in an hour or two of flying before the darkness fell.

At first, the company produced only powered hang-gliders - and as they were flying late in the evening, using lights at the front of their aircraft, with the triangular shaped hang-glider wings, the local people jokingly started to call them "bats".

Latin word for a bat is "pipistrellus" - and the rest is history.

Ownership: the company is 100% private owned.

75% share: Ivo Boscarol (CEO and founder)
25% share: A. T. Boscarol

Pipistrel Alpha Electro aircraft. Assembly line. Photo courtesy of Pipistrel

Address:

Pipistrel d.o.o. Ajdovščina
Goriška cesta 50a
SI-5270 Ajdovščina
Slovenia

Website:

www.pipistrel.si  

www.pipistrel.eu  

E-mail: info@pipistrel.si  

Pipistrel Alpha Electro aircraft. Photo courtesy of Pipistrel

Source: Pipistrel

https://www.pipistrel.si/news  



ASTROMAN Magazine - 2018.07.29

Volkswagen's all-electric I.D. R race car sets a new standard at the world's highest road race at the 2018 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb

https://www.astroman.com.pl/index.php?mod=magazine&a=read&id=2555