Flight training in electric aircraft - the future is already here

Many people think that electric planes belong to the future, but in Skellefteå, northern Sweden, it is a reality. Here, flight training for commercial pilots is carried out with fully electric aircraft – both in winter and summer.

Training to become a pilot requires both theory and practical training in simulators and aircraft. The commercial pilot training programme involves more than 200 hours of flight training in single and multi-engine aircraft.

Green Flight Academy’s integrated airline pilot program is the world’s first to use electric airplanes in its basic training. The program is approved by EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency) and 30% of the flight hours are flown in electric aeroplanes. The academy uses the world’s first type-approved electric aircraft Pipistrel Velis Electro which is charged at Skellefteå Airport with 100% renewable electricity.

“It has been a challenge to make the flight training as climate-smart as possible, while maintaining high quality and within the framework of all regulations. There are many hours of training manual development and calculations behind this.” says Johan Norberg, Head of Training at Green Flight Academy and the innovator behind the programme. 

The electric aircraft can only be flown under visual conditions and other aircraft are required for the various stages of flight training programme. For the rest of the training, Green Flight Academy flies’ new aircraft with fuel-efficient diesel.

Green Flight Academy is located in northern Sweden, which is usually met with some skepticism. How do batteries actually work in the cold?

Johan has been test flying the electric planes all of last winter and is pleasantly surprised. Since the air density is higher in winter, the aircraft gets more lift with less energy.

The electric aircraft can only be flown under visual conditions and other aircraft are required for the various stages of a the flight training programme. For the rest of the training, Green Flight Academy flies new aircraft with fuel-efficient diesel.

“We are not an electric flight school, we are a sustainable flight school. This means that we follow developments and will use the latest technology to make flight training as sustainable as possible. Whether that will be electricity, hydrogen or something else in the future” says Johan.