How it began
The Velis Electro was developed by the Slovenian aircraft maker Pipistrel. On June 10, 2020, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency announced its certification, which the agency described as the first type certification worldwide of a fully electric aircraft. The certification work took just under three years, a short period that the agency attributed to close cooperation with the manufacturer.
How it works
The airplane is a light two-seater intended mainly for pilot training, in particular for repeated takeoffs and landings in the traffic pattern around an airfield. It is driven by the Pipistrel E-811 electric engine, which the agency certified separately on May 18, 2020, as the first certified electrical engine. The aircraft is certified for day flights under visual flight rules and is supplied complete and ready to fly.
What changed first
The certificate meant that an electric airplane could for the first time be used in regular, approved flight training rather than only as an experimental or uncertified machine. The agency called it an important milestone in the search for environmentally sustainable aviation and said that it was the first electric aircraft it had certified but would not be the last, as the industry pursued technologies to cut noise and emissions.
Where it stands today
According to Pipistrel, the Velis Electro remains the first type-certified electric-powered aircraft and is approved for pilot training in day visual flight operations in more than 30 countries. The company lists certificates and registrations for it from authorities outside Europe as well as the original European type certificate, number EASA.A.573.
