Reykjavik Flight Academy has revealed it will be allowing students to operate Bye Aerospace's eFlyer electric aircraft, as the school confirms the order of three new units.
Bye Aerospace' eFlyer 4 model is a four-seat advanced aircraft; Reykjavik Flight Academy ordered one of these. Credit: Bye Aerospace
Two eFlyer 2 models and one eFlyer 4 will be integrated into the flight school's existing fleet in a move that has been described as a "milestone" for decarbonisation efforts in Iceland.
The eFlyer series is a type of all-electric aircraft developed by US-based aerospace manufacturer Bye Aerospace. The latest model, the eFlyer 800, which was revealed in April but has yet to hit production lines, is an eight-seat twin-turboprop class passenger aeroplane that was designed to meet the increasing demand for electric air travel.
Read more: Bye Aerospace unveils all-electric eFlyer 800
The eFlyer 2 is a two-seat primary training aircraft whereas the eFlyer 4 is a four-seat advanced training aircraft.
In addition, the two parties are reaching a mutual deployment for two more units, but it is currently undecided which model they will be.
Under current conditions, Bye Aerospace's two electric models can remain airborne for around three hours without needing to recharge. Until recently, flight endurance has been a major issue for the sector.
The company claims that this is, on average, three times longer than most electric aircraft.
The eFlyer will also have a power output of 150HP/110kW, clocking in at roughly 50% more than in traditional combustion engines.
However, one major note is the fact the aircraft does not use fossil fuels to run, and therefore emits little-to-no emissions. This also makes flying far more cost-effective, with Bye estimating operational costs are around one-fifth of those found with traditional airliners.
Other features of the eFlyers including Garmin navigation equipment and parachutes attached to the fuselage.
"Investment in electric aircraft for training is a major step, both in the history of aviation in Iceland in general and as part of environmental initiatives that are currently taking place," said Hjörvar Hans Bragason, Reykjavik Flight Academy's principal.
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With the new aircraft, Reykjavik Flight Academy will be a leader in its field and will proudly be able to offer first-class equipment for training and instruction. Increased safety, lower costs and more environmentally friendly options will be a guiding principle in our service to the pilots of the future," he added.
Bye Aerospace chief George Bye said: "We are grateful to our partners at Reykjavik Flight Academy for their leadership in Iceland, and for recognizing the many important benefits of electric aviation. We look forward to many eFlyer deliveries of Reykjavik Flight Academy in the coming years.”
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