Aussie aviation firm has electric dream of factory first

An Adelaide company hopes to be the first to produce commercial electric aircraft in Australia after signing a deal with Slovenian light aircraft manufacturer Pipistrel. Eyre to There Aviation will initially import 15 assembled Pipistrel Alpha Electro aircraft but says the plan is to set up a manufacturing facility in Adelaide to produce up to 100 aircraft annually. Pipistrel’s electric aircraft first flew in Australia in Perth in 2018 after being granted a special Certificate of Airworthiness by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority. The certification means it can be used for pilot training and the South Australian company has a market of more than 250 registered flight schools in mind. It says electric aircraft are ideally suited to the roughly 25 percent of flight training involving beginner-level circuit training and flying close to an airfield. Eyre to There managing director Barrie Rogers said Australia had an opportunity to be a world leader.

“Electric aircraft are cheaper to buy, cheaper to run, are significantly quieter than conventional aircraft and don’t rely on fossil fuels,’’ he said.  “And they are ideally suited for short-range flight training activities.” A problem that had previously hindered the development of electric aircraft, according to Rogers, was the battery weight. “We believe we’re now at the stage where technological advances have reduced the battery weight to a point where electric aircraft are now commercially viable in Australia,’’ he said. “Electric aircraft don’t yet have the range of other aircraft, but they’re perfect for short flights such as flight training and particularly circuit training, which is a core activity in obtaining a private pilot licence. “ The two-seater trainer has a maximum take-off weight of 550kg, weighing 368kg empty, and a maximum climb rate of more than 1000 feet per minute. It can fly for an hour, with a 30-minute reserve, and has an energy cost of $A1.40 an hour. Total running costs —  including battery replacement, maintenance and overhaul — come in at $A26.70 per hour.