Pipistrel Sees Path to EASA Certification of the Panthera

The company says the speedy single-engine retract is aimed for initial approval in 2024.

Julie Boatman

Monday, July 25, 2022 at 12:15 AM ET

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The Pipistrel Panthera currently flies in the U.S. under experimental exhibition status. [Photo: Jim Barrett]

Key Takeaways:

The Pipistrel Panthera is anticipated to achieve initial EASA type certification by 2024, with Textron eAviation focusing on night IFR capability, G1000 NXi avionics, and the Lycoming IO-540 engine for its entry into service.
Pipistrel's Velis Electro is actively pursuing FAA certification after gaining EASA approval, encountering regulatory hurdles related to electric propulsion within current light-sport aircraft definitions.
Textron eAviation is leveraging Pipistrel's decade of experience in electric aircraft to advance sustainability, expand its product offerings, and apply learnings from existing platforms to future urban air mobility projects like the Nuuva.

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The much-anticipated initial certification path for the Pipistrel Panthera is underway, according to the company, with the process expected to conclude in 2024. Following its acquisition by Textron, Pipistrel has reconfigured its approach to type certification on the speedy single-engine retract under European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) guidelines, based on the requirements and certification philosophies of its new owner.

“We have a little different expectation of what the aircraft will be capable of at [type certification],” said Rob Scholl, in an exclusive interview with FLYING. Scholl is CEO of Textron eAviation, under which the Pipistrel business unit resides. “The biggest change to the plan is that we want the airplane to be night IFR capable at entry into service. We also think we have the opportunity to bring the G1000 NXi avionics platform to the airplane.”