Page 25 - World Airnews Magazine July Edition 2020

GENERAL ELECTRIC
AVIATION AIRCRAFT

PRIVATE AIRLINES HARD HIT FIRST TYPE CERTIFICATION

By Kaleyesus Bekele FOR FULLY ELECTRIC PLANE

he European Union Aviation Safety
resident of the Ethiopian Private TAgency announced the certi fi ca-
PAirlines Associati on Abera Lemi said tion of an electric airplane, the Pipistrel

that most of the private airlines in Ethiopia Velis Electro, the first type certification

ceased operation in March following the world-wide of a fully electric aircraft and

outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. an important milestone in the quest for
Abera, who is also owner and CEO of Na- environmentally sustainable aviation.

tional Airways, said that the private airlines “This is an exciting breakthrough,” said

mostly provide chartered flight services for

tourists and VIPs. EASA executive director Patrick Ky.

“We fly tourists and operate VIP flights “This is the first electric aircraft EASA has

for corporate executives. In the wake of the certified but it will certainly not be the last,

outbreak, the tourist flow came to a stand- to various reasons. The environment does “We are still paying salaries to our as the aviation industry pursues new tech-
nologies to reduce noise and emissions and

still long before the first confirmed case in not encourage private investment in the employees but we have reached to a point to improve the sustainability of aviation.” “The type certification of the Pipistrel while highlighting the operational needs to

Ethiopia was reported,” Abera said. aviation sector,” Abera said. where we can no more afford to cover our Velis Electro is the first step towards the enable electric aviation.

“Company executives are not also flying Abera said despite all the challenges fixed costs,” Abera said. The Velis Electro is a two-seater air- commercial use of electric aircraft, which Dominique Roland, head of the general

so most of the private airlines in Ethio- the private airlines are providing charter As a result the Ethiopian Private Airlines craft intended primarily for pilot training. is needed to make emission-free aviation aviation department at EASA said, “For
Slovenia-based Pipistrel is a leading small

pia have ceased operations beginning of flight services to tourists coming to the Association has asked the Ministry of aircraft designer and manufacturer, spe- feasible. It is considerably quieter than oth- EASA, the type certification of this aircraft

March. If we take our company National country and contribute to the develop- Finance for financial assistance in the form er aeroplanes and produces no combustion marks a significant dual milestone on May

Airways, we had contract with an oil ment of the travel and tourism industry of a loan to cover the member airlines’ six- cialised in energy-efficient and affordable gases at all,” said Ivo Boscarol, founder and 18, 2020 we type certified its engine as the

company in South Sudan but that was in Ethiopia. month operational costs. high-performance aircraft. The Velis Electro CEO of Pipistrel Aircraft. It provides opti- first electric engine - now we have followed
joins a product line-up of similar, but con-

suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “We compliment what Ethiopian Airlines “We are now seeking assistance to stay ventionally powered, aircraft. mism, also to other electric aircraft design- up with the first type certification of a

We were also working with Air Djibouti and is doing. We take tourists to remote areas afloat and pass this challenging time. So ers, that the type certification of electric plane flying that engine. This was a truly

that was also suspended,” he said. where Ethiopian Airlines does not fly. We that we would be able to resume operation The certification, completed in less than engines and aeroplanes is possible.” ground-breaking project which has yielded

According to Abera, unlike many other fly VIPs to regional towns and remote once the COVID-19 ends. We are asking the three years, was only possible in that time- The certification project developed in learnings for the future certification of

African countries, the general aviation in areas. So we play our role in the economic government to help us out like they did to frame due to close co-operation between two streams, firstly the typical certification electric engines and aircraft, undoubtedly a

Pipistrel and EASA, with the common goal

Ethiopia is not well developed. development of the country,” Abera said. the hotel and tourism sector. Because we of ensuring the aircraft met the high stan- activities related to the aircraft and in par- growth area in coming years in line with the

“The general aviation got little or no sup- Due to the adverse impacts of the are also part of that industry,” Abera said. dard of safety needed for certification. allel a coordinated flight test programme aims of environmental protection.

port from the government in the past. The COVID-19, most of the private airlines The association believes that the govern- using a fleet of (non-certified) alpha-elec- During the course of these projects

banking sector does not provide loans to halted operations. Abera said that since the ment would consider their request and give The project also brought important tros under EASA permit to fly. EASA gained first-hand experience in

the private airlines because there is lack of private airlines do not have a strong finan- them a positive response. Q learnings that will support future certifica- Having the ability to operate a similar air- electric flight, learning more about bat-
tions of electrically powered engines

awareness on the role of general aviation. cial position even before the outbreak, the Article courtesy: https://www. and aircraft. craft meant the EASA team, which included teries and their management systems, as

We have a successful national carrier but negative impact of the COVID-19 has had a thereporterethiopia.com/article/ members from the launch national aviation well as electrical engine power units. This

the general aviation is at its infancy due devastating impact on general aviation. private-airlines-hard-hit-covid-19 The aircraft is powered by the first certified authorities (France’s DGAC FR and Swit- information has been used to develop the

electrical engine, the E-811-268MVLC, certi- zerland’s FOCA), had access to operational E&HPS special condition to further enable

NEWS fied by EASA for Pipistrel on May 18, 2020. data necessary for the certification activity, electric flight. Q
141 PLANES BACK IN SERVICE NEWS
Airlines Holdings Inc. to increase flights throughout the summer as demand BRITISH AIRWAYS THREATENS CREW

in July show that customers are starting rises, the airline said.

merican airlines group will to return, at least for domestic travel. The Atlanta-based carrier also will add

Atake 141 aircraft from storage While demand remains weak by histor- planes as flights become more crowded Airways Pilot Association has stated The carrier has decided to make

to support an increase in July service as ical standards, the trend suggests that and approach caps on seating that are that the airline may fire its entire pilot these cuts due to the drastic amounts

travellers return to the skies faster than the worst has passed. Bookings have designed to help prevent the virus’s s the COVID-19 global pandemic workforce and offer jobs with new terms of money it has lost on its operations

expected amid the corona virus pandemic. focused on leisure travel, with routes spread. Delta, which has said it, would Aenters its third month, some and conditions. since the beginning of the COVID-19
added primarily to beach destinations,

The carrier will re-activate 83 Airbus mountain states and cities with amuse- operate twice as many domestic flights countries are planning to re-open their As the letter stated “BA advised us that pandemic. Parent company International

A320 family planes and 58 Boeing 737 ment parks. in July as in May, declined to specify how borders, which have prompted some pas- as a result of their revised fleet plan the Airlines Group (IAG) is reportedly losing

many aircraft it will remove from storage.

jets, spokesman Brian Metham said. American had parked as many as 435 sengers to book flights in the hopes that new notice has increased the proposed (US) $225 million a week as it struggles

to cope with the new reality of highly
American joins Delta Air Lines Inc. in aircraft and permanently retired more United is restoring 140 nonstop US the borders re-open in time for their trips. number of pilot jobs under threat from reduced travel demand.

bringing back aircraft that had been parked than 100 planes from its fleet. Its busiest and Canada routes in July. Domestic ca- This has created a sizeable increase in 955 pilots to 1080. This excludes the

pacity will be 30% of what it was a year
175 jobs under threat as a result of the
as service was slashed when the spread of days in July will have about 4,000 flights, flight bookings. company’s efficiency targets.” However, the airline is expecting to

corona virus and related travel restrictions up from 2,300 in June the Fort Worth, earlier, up from 13% in June. United and However, the virus has negatively have high passenger volume as it has an

nearly wiped out demand in April. Texas-based carrier said last week. American is restoring some internation- affected many airlines such as British This comes as the carrier was forced to extensive route network from London

al service, as well, but levels remain well

which gives the benefits to passengers

Moves by American, Delta and United Delta will return aircraft to its fleet below where they were last year. Q Airways. A letter issued by the British resolve a difficult labour dispute with its travelling in and from the UK capital. Q

pilots in 2019.
World Airnews | July 2020 World Airnews | July 2020
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