As we reported in January, Sealand Flight of Campbell River on Vancouver Island had acquired a Pipistrel Velis Electro aircraft. Earlier this week (Tuesday), Sealand announced that the battery-powered two-place training aircraft is now flying.
“With the electric airplane now regularly flying, our team at Sealand Flight is conducting training for our pilot staff and opened up this same possibility for our already licensed customers,” spokesman Mike Andrews said in a written statement. Among Sealand’s first rental customers were Transport Canada – Civil Aviation (TCCA) employees involved in the regulator’s electric aircraft training program. At this time, the only training Sealand can perform is to licensed pilots on electric aircraft differences.
Sealand has been working with TCCA since well before they ordered the Velis Electro and is expecting to receive authorization to use the aircraft for training towards a private pilot licence before long.
“We are confident that this hands-on experience will continue to positively evoke progress in the commercialization of sustainable aviation,” Andrews said.
Pipistrel is a division of Textron.