Imagine not pulling up to the fuel pumps either before or after a training flight. The dream of a flight school operating an airplane that doesn’t operate on fossil fuels is now a real possibility for operators in Canada with Transport Canada’s certification of Pipistrel’s ALPHA Electro earlier this month. The ALPHA Electro was also certified in Australia about 18 months ago. In Canada, the ALPHA Electro was certified as an Advanced Ultra-light, a category that doesn’t exist in the U.S. ALPHA Electros are flying in the U.S., but under the experimental LSA banner, a category that makes them ineligible to be used for hire.
Pipistrel’s ALPHA Electro Earns Canadian Certification
Key Takeaways:
- Transport Canada has certified Pipistrel's ALPHA Electro electric aircraft, enabling the possibility of fossil-fuel-free flight schools in Canada under the Advanced Ultra-light category.
- The ALPHA Electro, an 80-hp equivalent electric aircraft, is restricted from the U.S. flight training market because current LSA regulations require a "reciprocating engine."
- Despite past support from the FAA to remove the "reciprocating" engine clause from LSA definitions, the change has not occurred, hindering the electric aircraft's wider adoption for training in the U.S.
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