Last week, the Austrian-Canadian aircraft manufacturer Diamond Aircraft successfully conducted the first test flight of the eDA40 electric aircraft in Wiener Neustadt. The small machine was controlled by Sören Pedersen, Head of Flight Test. 

The eDA40 is a further development of the DA40, which, unlike its predecessor, is not powered by a combustion engine but by electric motors. The first flight from Wiener Neustadt took place on July 26, 2023. The manufacturer maintains a plant in the Lower Austrian city. 

"The aircraft performed superbly on its maiden flight, not only meeting but exceeding all of our expectations," said Diamond CEO Liqun (Frank) Zhang. The Austrian manufacturer is aiming for Part 40 certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for the eDA23. In April 2024, the prototype is to be presented to the general public at Aero Friedrichshafen.