UK flight schools hire instructors for electric aircraft as fuel prices bite
Pilot training schools in the UK are actively looking for instructors who can teach on electric-powered aeroplanes, as the surging price of fuel gives a boost to the country’s emerging zero-emissions market.
The global electric aviation industry remains in its infancy, with the Slovenian-made Pipistrel Velis Electro, a two-seater training aircraft powered by lithium-ion batteries, only certified in the UK last year.
But Deepak Mahajan, who runs a training centre and is director at the UK and Ireland distributor for Pipistrel, Fly About Aviation, said his school and three others were recruiting instructors to meet the demand for more sustainable and cheaper training.
Mahajan says seven Velis Electros are currently flying in the UK, with an eighth arriving soon. His school at Damyns Hall Aerodrome, Essex, was the first in the country to offer the full private pilot’s licence on electric planes. The RAF also has them as trainers, he said.
Pipistrel says its 57.6kW liquid-cooled electric engine has significant advantages over the combustion equivalent, which include lower operating costs and being much quieter – a major issue for flying schools based near residential areas.
The aircraft battery takes about 90 minutes to charge and lasts about an hour, making it useful for most lessons but not ideal for cross-country flights.
Mahajan hopes to change this by encouraging aerodromes to buy electric chargers. Ten airports have already installed them, with at least one powered by solar panels, further decreasing the impact on the climate. “We’re slowly building up that network of chargers across the country,” he said.
Still, the most significant draw to flying schools could be financial. The Velis Electro costs roughly the same price as
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