DeLand Sport Showcase: Pipistrel Velis Electric Trainer Debuts 

A little bit more expensive? It's more than twice as expensive as an Alpha Trainer! It doesn't matter if the operating costs are zero, that thing is never going to make financial sense.

Honestly think it's a good start and I hope they keep going down this path in the future....but an hour of flight time (or 50 minutes as he states at 6:16) and then 40 minutes of charging is just too low for training. If you're only using it to teach pattern work and landings that's one thing...but even then you're then going to have students use a different (and probably much larger / different) aircraft for everything else...and that aircraft will handle pattern and landing differently than this...especially if it's a low wing like a piper warrior or 180 that a lot of school usually have in their fleet. This means they'll have to do extra training on top of their current training to be proficient in both, which is a lot of extra work and stress for a new student to handle on top of their PPL training. I know they also said you can have charging stations at various other airports strategically placed to compensate for this but that still seems unreasonable given the rate of charge and total flight time available as it opens the door to more variables like weather to play a bigger role in the fight as you'll need plan around that extra 40/80 minutes of downtime you will have to do now that you wouldn't have had to with a normal trainer. I do hope they get larger / better batteries in the future though...cuz I'd personally love to see all electric aircraft become the standard across the board.

1 hr flight time? Not even practical for training. Even when the FAA approves this. What profitable flight school would ever buy this in its current configuration. 1hr of time with the student and then several blocks of time not being able to fly because its charging. Cross countries wouldn't even be possible. Cool experiment though. Many flight school rental requirements have lower fuel reserves than what's allowed in the poh for insurance requirements. For example many schools have a 45 minute reserve giving the plane only 45 minutes of flight time. Some have one hour reserves at night for private pilots. 10-15 for runup and taxi back. That leaves you with about 15-30 minutes of actual flying in some situations. I think Flight schools will logically compensate for the downtime of the aircraft in its rental rate if any of them ever bought this. The idea is awesome but this is more of a prototype because in my opinion it is not practical in the slightest.

For flight schools, the benefit of lower operating costs will be diminished by the 1:1 recharge time. An honest 8 hour day of productivity will be reduced to 4 hours. Of course, while the bird is recharging, the instructor can squeeze out another hour of ground training.

Hey Pauls back! How you doin bud!!

With 1hr flight times and $250k purchase costs they're not there yet, but they're getting close. If you look at how electric cars have progressed over the past decade, I think this will be the standard for new-build trainers within the next decade.

Batteries are pretty small compared to a car: 2x11 kWh (22 kWh) versus 60 kWh or so in a car. This'll probably need 40 kWh for a 2+ hour range. Hope in 5 years or so that 40 kWh solid state batteries will be available at the same weight as the current ones. Two other things I think I'll like. First, should be a lot more reliable that a piston single. Good enough for mountains at night? (doubtful) Also, I bet it's nice to have full torque within 1/10 of a second of applying full throttle.

Its actually has a 25 min flight limit.

0:59, what a legend, can stay focused with a WASP on his thumb!

I just really really hope the throttle to prop response is akin to petrol, otherwise this may be a bad trainer?

two major problems with batteries, cost and lifespan (not to mention chemical fires). at the current rate, these lithium ion batteries are expected to lose a majority of range within 6 years that's an awful lot of money to spend every 6-8 years, for what benefit exactly? saving the planet? we don't even recycle the majority of batteries as it is (6-8 years is the maximum for cars btw, having students in this would be a nightmare)

That's the future.... Well done Pipistrel

Best thing that has ever happened to flight training

I think they should use range extenders like they're starting to use in Tesla cars

notice how much he dodges the cost batteries ain't it yet

When did the show take place in DeLand?

That’s not enough range

love all these electric planes

That plane turns the $100 hamburger back to $50.

Nice they finally got a electric full-size plane now. Let’s see how long is gonna last

Slowly moving forward. Good luck.

In years to come rental cost should come down.

Way to go

Cool video, you have to subscribe right away. ,,

Not for me.

Wow! Use fossil fuels to produce the electricity to charge the batteries in your e-aircraft. That's an impressive idea.

Maybe, should be, might be, hopefully. All we ever hear from these unicorn salesmen. Also he needs to be reminded to take his sun glasses off when addressing and audience even an indirect one. Very bad manners. Book him Dano!