Colorado-based all-electric aircraft vendor Bye Aerospace has successfully conducted the first flight of its electric training aircraft, dubbed the eFlyer 2.
The flight, which took place in Denver, Colorado, was the kickoff of a test program and advanced Bye Aerospace’s goal toward Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification and customer deliveries.
The eFlyer 2 is designed for the flight training market. The aircraft combines an electric propulsion system with a composite airframe. The company said it is designed to reduce operation costs by up to 80% while eliminating in-flight emissions in flight training.
“This program is an important step in demonstrating that electric aircraft can deliver disruptive operational cost advantages while maintaining the performance, safety, and handling qualities required for real world training environments,” said Rod Zastrow, CEO of Bye Aerospace. “Today’s flight of eFlyer 2 is an exciting milestone for our team, our partners, and the future of electric aviation by helping reduce the oftentimes prohibitive costs of flight training.”
Targeted market
Bye Aerospace said the eFlyer 2 would allow flight training organizations, air taxi vendors and private owners to avoid fuel price uncertainty and engine overhaul backlogs while improving access to flight training.
Additionally, the company claimed that the electric aircraft will reduce overall barriers to pilot development as demand rises for pilots, although the company did not detail how.
The flight
The first flight of the eFlyer 2 was piloted by Elliot Seguin, chief test pilot for Bye Aerospace, beginning at Centennial Airport outside of Denver. The flight was evaluated for:
- Handling qualities
- Aerodynamic characteristics
- System performance
“First flights are always significant moments for any new aircraft program,” Seguin said. “The eFlyer 2 handled well during the flight and validated the work the engineering team has put into designing and testing the aircraft over the past several years.”
