The company refers to the new flight test aircraft as the ‘Hawaii Bird’, as it will be flown by Ampaire and Mokulele Airlines pilots on air routes in Hawaii later this year in a series of demonstration flights. When the aircraft flies on Maui, it will be the first time a hybrid-electric powered aircraft has flown under an FAA ‘market survey’ Experimental aircraft certificate in order to gain real-world flight experience.
“Since flying our first Electric EEL last year, we have made substantial improvements to the power train for efficiency, increased performance, reliability, and safety,” says Ampaire CEO Kevin Noertker. “This technology is scaleable with wide applications for scheduled passenger and cargo services, as well as charter services. Our flights with Mokulele Airlines will be an opportunity to test both the aircraft and the infrastructure required to advance electric aviation and transport access in Hawaii.”
This story is from the November 2020 edition of Pilot.
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This story is from the November 2020 edition of Pilot.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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