A Pipistrel Virus SW 914 Turbo piloted by Matevž Lenarčič has completed the 2,000-nm flight from Concepcion, Chile, to Easter Island – the longest leg of Lenarčič’s GreenLight WorldFlight – a journey that crisscrosses around the world to showcase the Virus’ performance capabilities and bring awareness to environmental issues.
And the challenging over-water flight from Chile to Easter Island most definitely demonstrated the airplane’s exceptional efficiency. After a little more than 15 hours flying an average groundspeed of about 132 knots with headwinds over the southern Pacific Ocean, the airplane had burned only 80 of the 92 gallons it carries. That translates to a fuel burn of 5.4 gallons per hour.
Lenarčič will now continue his journey across the Pacific, his next leg being a 1,400-nm over-water flight from Easter Island to Totegegie, French Polynesia. The flight then continues toward New Zealand, through Asia, down to the southern tip of Africa, then back north to the round-the-world trip’s starting point in Slovenia where Pipistrel is based.
To read more about the Pipistrel Virus, see Peter Garrison’s recent feature.
Also check out our photo gallery of the Pipistrel Virus making its way around the world.
