Florida Tech has purchased a Velis Electro from Slovenian company Pipistrel. The purchase makes the school the first U.S. college to own and fly an electric airplane.
Florida Tech Makes History With Pipistrel Velis Electro Purchase
![The Velis Electro, a light sport aircraft from Slovenian company Pipistrel, was introduced in 2020. [Courtesy: Pipistrel]](https://www.flyingmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Output-7389.jpg)
Key Takeaways:
- Florida Tech has become the first U.S. college to own and fly an electric airplane, the Pipistrel Velis Electro, utilizing it for advanced flight test engineering education and research.
- The Velis Electro, Europe's first certified electric aircraft, is currently flying under an experimental category in the U.S. and successfully completed its inaugural flight at Florida Tech.
- The university will conduct extensive flight testing and data collection, including for an FAA contract, to evaluate the aircraft's performance, identify opportunities and limitations, and inform future design evolution and federal regulatory guidelines for electric aviation.
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