Buenos Aires-based Alef Aviación, on June 22, celebrated the first anniversary of its flight school unit. Alef is also Czech aircraft manufacturer Evektor Group’s dealer for the Argentinian region.
Source: Alef Aviación Announcement
Photo Credit: Alef Aviación (shown as meta image)
In 2022, global pilot training group and operator of flight schools CAE launched electric aircraft modification program with Piper Aircraft Inc. CAE partnered with Piper Aircraft to develop a conversion kit via a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for in-service Piper Archer® (PA-28-181) aircraft and bring an electric variant option of the iconic aircraft to market.
Source: CAE
Photo Credit: CAE (shown as meta image)
Evektor Group, Czech aircraft manufacturer based in Kunovice, delivered six Harmony LSAs to Jet Access Flight Training. The six aircraft form part of the 20 Harmony LSAs order placed by Jet Access for its flight training unit.
Evektor initially delivered the first two followed by the latest delivery composed of four aircraft.
Source: Evektor Group Announcement
Photo Credit: Evektor Group (shown as meta image)
Pipistrel Aircraft, a training aircraft manufacturer based in Slovenia, will be at Oshkosh this month from the 24th to 30th where the Velis Electro, Alpha Trainer, Panthera, and Sinus Max will be on display.
Source: Pipistrel Aircraft Announcement
Photo Credit: Pipistrel Aircraft (shown as meta image)
Green Flight Academy took delivery of its first new Tecnam P2010 TDI which is the first one in Scandinavia. The P2010 TDI is a modern, high-wing, fuel-efficient aircraft equipped with Continental CD170 (170 hp) and Garmin G1000Nxi with integrated autopilot GFC700.
Green Flight Academy is fairly unique in that it allocates 30% of flight hours of training to electric aircraft.
Source: Green Flight Academy Announcement
Photo Credit: Green Flight Academy (shown as meta image)
Aircraft manufacturer Tecnam announced that United States based flight training organisation Kilo Charlie Aviation has placed orders for a total of 30 Tecnam aircraft over the next two years. Kilo Charlie Aviation is located near Kansas City at New Century Air Center, formerly known as Naval Air Station Olathe, a joint civil-military general aviation airport. The school has 96 students and was founded in 2020 by Robert Renfro and Drew Konicek, experienced pilots.
The Tecnam solution selected by Kilo Charlie Aviation is based on the full IFR P-Mentor and the twin-engine P2006T.
Students start their training in a P-Mentor with a modern Garmin G3x glass cockpit. In addition to an already very stable platform, the aircraft will be equipped with the optional BRS ballistic parachute. After completing their instrument rating (IFR) in the P-Mentor, students can transition into the P2006T twin engine to train for their MEP (Multi Engine Propeller).
The first of 15 deliveries will be 3 P2006T and 15 P-Mentor aircraft.
Phase II of 30 aircraft will follow after the last of these first 15 have been delivered.
About the P-Mentor
The P-Mentor is a two-seat, single engine, piston, fully IFR aircraft, compliant with the latest CS-23 EASA & FAA requirements, allowing PBN/RNAV/AFCS capabilities. It gives modern flight schools a single platform to train students from their first flight, up to their commercial pilot license, and instrument rating. It has a variable pitch propeller, and a simulated retractable landing gear option.
The P-Mentor is designed to offer the best human-machine interface, resulting in the most effective VFR/IFR training. The generous fuel tank allows flight schools to fly all day long, without refueling, which improves operational value. With its outstanding operational cost, this aircraft offers a unique profit opportunity for flight schools.
About the P-2006T
The Tecnam P2006T MkII is a twin-engine four-seat aircraft with fully retractable landing gear. Its simplicity, great performance, efficiency and ergonomics are what make this aircraft ideal for multi-engine training, as well as cross-country flying. The P2006T offers unbeatable value and innovative design with a modern Garmin avionics suite, integrating all primary flight, navigation, communication and terrain data on two high-definition LCDs.
“We are very pleased that so many American flight schools are choosing TECNAM to replace or upgrade their fleet. Today’s students are very demanding and deserve a brand new aircraft with the latest technology. We thank and welcome Kilo Charlie for their choice,” said Walter Da Costa, Tecnam Chief Sales Officer.
“We have been in a two-year process trying to find the right aircraft partner for our career flight training school. Once Tecnam presented the P-mentor we knew that all the work over the last two years had to be re-evaluated and compared to this aircraft. Safety and Technology are our two highest priorities here and after comparing everything it was without a doubt the best option for our school and students,” said Robert Renfro, Kilo Charlie Aviation Chief Operating Officer.
“When we met with Tecnam for the first time we were unfamiliar with their organization or aircraft. Immediately we knew that we had found a true partner. The award-winning aircraft combined with the expertise of an international leader in aviation made it an easy choice to move Kilo Charlie Aviation’s fleet to Tecnam,” said Drew Konicek, Kilo Charlie Aviation Chief Business Officer.
“With a shared ambition for developing great pilots, we are thrilled to partner with Kilo Charlie Aviation in this venture! It is because of flight schools like theirs that this industry has such a promising future.
Kilo Charlie’s training program offers students a competitive advantage for hiring opportunities once they graduate and I can’t think of a better place for our latest Tecnam training fleet!,” said Derek Riddle, Director of Aircraft Fleet Sales for Volare Air.
About Kilo Charlie Aviation
Robert Renfro and Drew Konicek, experienced commercial and corporate pilots, founded Kilo Charlie Aviation in 2020. Their goal: to build the best flight school in the world.
Today, Kilo Charlie Aviation, centrally located in New Century, KS, the heart of the Midwest, is recognized as the premier school for all levels of flight training. Students from all over the United States come to Kilo Charlie Aviation to earn their private pilot certificate, obtain their instrument rating, become certified flight instructors, and learn about flight at all levels.
About TECNAM; “Quality Aircraft since 1948”
Tecnam is an Italian aircraft manufacturer and one of the world’s leading piston aircraft manufacturers. Founded in 1948 by brothers Luigi and Giovanni Pascale, the company is headquartered in Capua, Italy, and operates two subsidiaries in Sebring, Florida, USA, and Brisbane, Australia, to serve and support the needs of local Tecnam owners and operators. Tecnam designs and manufactures a wide range of aircraft for personal use, commercial operations, business travel, flight training, surveillance, law enforcement and other specialised applications.
Source: Tecnam Press Release
Photo Credit: Tecnam (shown as meta image)
Groupe ADP joins forces with six leaders in carbon-free regional aviation to accelerate the introduction of electric- and hydrogen-powered 2 to 100-seat aircraft on its airfields and at Paris-Le Bourget, Paris-Orly and Paris-CDG airports before 2030.
These new aircraft are thus set to decarbonize flights around aerodromes, and to serve radial, regional and short-haul routes in Europe.
Within the framework established with each manufacturer, Groupe ADP will work alongside them to:
Over the next year, the Groupe ADP will be working alongside its partners to make progress on these points, and other companies may join the alliance.
Each of the manufacturers, with its own specific features, is helping to make possible the transition of the sector in the very short term, which will be based on:
1. The Electrification of general aviation fleets is already underway, with the Pipistrel’s Velis Electro at the forefront
Pipistrel’ Velis Electro:
– 100% electric
– Passengers: 2 seats
– Cruise speed: 167km/h
– Range: up to 50mn
– Certification horizon: EASA since 2020
2. Hydrogen, thanks in particular to the conversion and retrofit of regional aircraft, with technologies developed by Universal Hydrogen, ZeroAvia and Beyond Aero
Universal Hydrogen:
– Hydrogen engine
– Passengers : 56 seats
– Range: 1 000 km
– Certification horizon: 2025
ZeroAvia:
– Hydrogen engine
– Passengers: 90 seats
– Range: 1 900 km
– Certification horizon: 2027
Beyond Aero’s One BYA-1:
– Hydrogen engine
– Passengers: 4 to 8 seats
– Cruise speed: 575 km/h
– Range: 1 500 km
– Certification horizon: by 2029
3. Hybrids, with aircraft using electric power and sustainable fuels developed by VoltAero
VoltAero Cassion 330, Cassio 480 & Cassio 600:
– Electric-hybrid and Hydrogen-hybrid engine
– Passengers: 4/5 seats for Cassio 330, 6 seats for Cassio 480 and 10/12 seats for Cassio 600
– Range: 200 to 1 200 km
– Certification horizon: 2024 for Cassio 330
Daher:
– Hybrid engine
– Passengers: 6 to 12 seats
– Developed from the results of the EcoPulse demonstrator
– Certification horizon: TBM and/or Kodiak hybrid to be marketed by 2027
– Performance similar to the current range
Groupe ADP has undertaken specific actions with each manufacturer to accelerate their integration on its platforms, and the marketing of their aircraft:
– Pipistrel: Toussus-le-Noble aerodrome was the launch site of the Velis Electro, after the aircraft received EASA certification in June 2020. The Groupe ADP and TotalEnergies are also deploying a network of self-service electric terminals at airfields in the Paris region to support fleet conversion (Etampes, Toussus, Pontoise).
– VoltAero: experts from the Groupe ADP’s laboratory help to measure the aircraft’s acoustic impact. Test flights to link Paris airports are in preparation.
– Universal Hydrogen: studies and tests to be carried out to demonstrate the entire logistics of hydrogen capsules under real operating conditions.
– ZeroAvia: studies and future developments to enable the supply of liquid or gaseous hydrogen at Paris-Le Bourget airport.
– Beyond Aero: initial results from substitution studies at Paris-Le Bourget show potential for over 15% of aircraft. Flight tests are planned at other airfields in the Paris region.
– Daher: the Toussus-le-Noble airfield will be the site of a test center for the technological building blocks of the electric-propulsion aircraft.
Augustin de Romanet, CEO of Groupe ADP: “With these six leaders in innovation and decarbonization, new modes of propulsion are already a reality. In this alliance, the only one of its kind in the world, for carbon-free regional aviation in the Paris region, the Groupe ADP intends to play its full role as booster and integrator of new aircraft at its airports and for the sector as a whole. Without appropriate infrastructures connected to the entire airport ecosystem, these new aircraft would not be able to integrate into the landscape of our Paris Region hubs, whose decarbonization is expected by all: our passenger customers and all our stakeholders.”
Gabriel Massey, president and managing director of Pipistrel: “Pipistrel is the global leader in electric aviation and manufacturer of the world’s first type-certified electric aircraft in commercial service, the Velis Electro. The Velis Electro is a two-seater light sport aircraft, primarily used by flight schools for pilot training. The aircraft reduces training costs and is making a real-world impact on the environment, including reducing noise pollution in the surrounding areas of the flight schools in which it operates.”
Jean Botti, CEO of VoltAero: “We are proud to join forces with Groupe ADP and other leaders in carbon-free aviation, as we strive to accelerate the environmental transition of this vital sector. Together, we will leverage our collective expertise to drive the development and adoption of sustainable aviation technologies, creating a cleaner, greener future for generations to come. This partnership underscores the importance of our work at VoltAero which is providing innovative solutions such as the electric-hybrid and hydrogen-hybrid aircraft Cassio 330 that are essential for the general aviation and its ecosystem.”
Mark Cousin, CTO of Universal Hydrogen: “We are delighted with our close collaboration with the Groupe ADP, which is deeply involved in the implementation of the green aviation value chain. Together, Groupe ADP and Universal Hydrogen will study the integration of regional aircraft converted to fly utilizing our proprietary hydrogen fuel cell powertrain and leveraging our modular hydrogen logistics fuel services. Furthermore, this collaboration will quickly demonstrate how hydrogen management at airports can be straightforward and safe, and how it can be applied to equipment and products beyond aircraft.”
Val Miftakhov, Founder and CEO of ZeroAvia: “When the operator of one of the world’s largest airports, as well as many important regional hubs for connectivity, start planning for delivering zero-emission flight using hydrogen, it is a clear signal that this change is coming. This should be one of the clear indications from Paris Air Show that progress is being made to enable the solutions that will tackle aviation’s climate impact.”
Eloa Guillotin, Founder & CEO of Beyond Aero: “We are delighted to have the opportunity to study the feasibility of operating our hydrogen-electric business aircraft in airports managed by Groupe ADP. The utilization of hydrogen as a clean and renewable energy source holds immense potential in reducing the aviation industry’s carbon footprint and fostering environmental sustainability. We strongly believe in Groupe ADP’s ability to play a crucial role in adopting innovative technologies. Together, we aim to identify opportunities, overcome challenges, and propose tangible solutions for efficient hydrogen utilization in airports.”
Nicolas Chabbert, Senior Vice-président Aircraft of Daher: “This initiative by the Groupe ADP is in line with the arrival of the hybrid aircraft in 2027, which will thus be able to benefit from adapted infrastructures. In the short term, we are working with the Groupe ADP to make biofuel (SAF) available on the Toussus-le-Noble airfield so that our based customers can benefit from it.”
Source: Groupe ADP Press Release
Photo Credit: Groupe ADP
The National Flight Centre (NFC) based at Weston Airport near Dublin, Ireland’s largest Approved Flight Training Organisation, welcomed two superb, brand new P-Mentor Tecnam aircraft.
“These fully PBN craft join their recently acquired sister ship, twin engine Tecnam P2006T, to provide NFC student pilots exposure to the very latest in autoflight and programmed navigation systems during their flight training,” said Darragh Owens, head of Training at NFC. “The substantial noise reduction, fuel economy and improved emission standards afforded by our growing Tecnam fleet further underscore NFC’s commitment to reducing the environmental impact of our operations wherever possible.”
Source: Darragh Owens (National Flight Centre)
Photo Credit: Tecnam Aircraft (shown as meta image)
Phnom Penh, Cambodia based flight school Novation Academy visited training aircraft manufacturer ellipse in Czech Republic for flight testing of their Ellipse Spirit. “It is magnificent airplane and our academy is in discussion right now for further cooperation with Ellipse,” said Novation Academy.
Source: Novation Academy Announcement
Photo Credit: Novation Academy (shown as meta image)
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