The OE-ACW, the first electric aircraft licensed in Austria, took off from Bad Vöslau Airport in Lower Austria. The operator of the two-seater is the Watschinger flight school.
The electricity required to operate the electric drive comes from the photovoltaic system on the hangar roof and the electric motor is absolutely quiet. The Watschinger flight school uses the e-plane as part of the pilot training for so-called “circumstance training”, where take-offs and landings are practiced and only short flight circuits are completed over the area.
The presentation of the electric aircraft was carried out in the presence of Austro Control Managing Director Philipp Piper, Flight School Director Georg Watschinger and Vienna Airport Board Member Günther Ofner. “At Vienna Airport we not only talk about climate protection strategies, we also implement them. Together with the project operator and the approving authority, it was possible to achieve real benefits for the population and the climate. This makes this project a prime example of how effective climate protection works: through the use of new technologies, solution-oriented decisions and the creation of framework conditions that promote innovation," says Vienna Airport Board Member Günther Ofner.
The two-seater electric aircraft of the type "Velis Electro" from the Slovenian manufacturer Pipistrel is used: prospective pilots use it to practice take-offs and landings and complete short sightseeing flights, so-called "circles around the airfield". Thanks to the aircraft’s absolutely quiet electric motor, there is no noise pollution for the residential areas below and there are no CO2 emissions either: The motor works purely electrically, the electricity required for this comes from the photovoltaic system on the roof of the hangar building at the airfield. The possible flight duration is about 50 minutes, which is absolutely sufficient for training use. While the machine is fully charged in about 90 minutes, the pre- and post-workout briefings take place. With "Velis Electro", the Watschinger flight school has the world's first electric training aircraft that is fully approved for pilot training in day-to-day operations.
“Effective climate protection only works through technological innovations. This requires framework conditions that promote innovations, but still prioritize safety. As the approval authority, we follow this approach and are proud that together we have succeeded in setting a new milestone for climate protection in Austrian aviation with this project," say Valerie Hackl and Philipp Piber, Managing Directors of Austro Control.
"This e-plane is perfect for our flight school operations: We can use it to carry out the training flights free of CO2 and noise emissions and therefore absolutely climate-friendly and friendly to residents. Thanks to the support from Vienna Airport and the good cooperation with Bad Vöslau Airport and Austro Control, we are Austrian and even European pioneers,” says Georg Watschinger, Managing Director of the Watschinger Flight School.
Comment