Discover how Navpreet pursued the International Aviation Sustainability Certification to understand the industry's role in climate change and broaden their perspective on global sustainability.
Aviation students are increasingly seeking ways to pursue their passion without the emissions associated with conventional flight training. Electric planes (e-planes) are being proposed as a solution, but how big of a reduction can they achieve?
My immersion into aviation led me to join the Collaborative Aeronautics Program (CAP), where I became part of the first cohort of students learning about the fundamentals of aviation. Through the CAP, I not only gained a solid understanding of aviation systems but also learned the importance of collaboration within the field.
Flight schools earn revenue when planes are flying, so an important question is how many hours can they expect an e-plane to fly in a day?Future batteries and future e-planes offer bigger promises, but let’s look at the world’s only type of certified electric trainer on the market today, the Pipistrel Velis Electro with its second-generation battery.
Pramoth's personal journey being the first to receive the ‘International Aviation Sustainability Certification.
July brought record high temperatures to many parts of Canada. Even the normally cool Vancouver Island had six days in a row above 30°C at the Campbell River airport (CYBL), including a new record of 33.4°C on July 8th.Did these hot temperatures affect the performance of the e-plane based there? Did battery temperatures rise unexpectedly?
When an electric plane is designed for pilot training, one of the first questions is “Can you complete the standard lessons in the e-plane?”.
Circuit training is one of the core activities in learning to become a pilot. Pilots need to learn the skills to take-off, fly a standard circuit pattern, and land safely. Last year, we reported completing 5-7 circuits in a typical flight in the Velis Electro before landing with a reserve of at least 30% SOC, State of Charge, in the battery (equivalent to how much fuel remains in the tank).
Collaborative Aeronautics Program (CAP) students who got to tour the Waterloo Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower.
The Pipistrel Velis Electro comes with a charger designed for the European 400-volt electrical system. This means that a special transformer needs to be installed at any North American airport where the Velis is to charge. (Note: Pipistrel is developing an adapter which will allow the Velis to be charged using CCS chargers, which will remove this hurdle. CCS is one of the most widely used electric vehicle charging standards.)