H55, the Swiss electric light aircraft spin-off of the Solar Impulse Foundation under Andre’ Borschberg’s leadership, has toured America from sunny Florida to sunny California and back to New York’s Hamptons.
H55’s Tour of America
While Beta’s Alia is making the Grand Tour of Europe, the H55-powered Bristel B25 Energic has made its own Grand Tour of the New World.
Completing a “landmark tour” of America, H55’s Bristell B23 Energic went literally from sea to shining sea, visited eight states, and proved its Electric Propulsion System (EPS) to be reliable and trouble-free. According to H55, the small craft “completed 192 all-electric passenger flights, and [visited] 25 airports across Florida, Alabama, Arizona, Nevada, California, Colorado, Wisconsin, and New York.
With major stops in eight states and 162 landings, H55 Bristell Energic proved a reliable, economical performer
In Florida alone, the little Energic managed 14 Airport-to-airport flights, 36 demonstration flights, and 12 Static events. H55 hosted 30 Certified Flight Instructors (CFI and CFII), aeronautical and aviation professors at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Liberty University, and Florida Institute of Technology, two aerospace experts, 18 flight schools, and 10 Fixed-Base Operators (FBOs).
Market Ready
André Borschberg, H55 Co-Founder and Executive Chairman, shared his outlook on the enthusiast reception of the little Bristell. “During the tour, I met countless pilots who joined us for demonstration flights. The smiles on their faces as they stepped out of the airplane said it all. The advantages of electric aviation were immediately clear to every passenger—no noise, no vibration, no emissions, reduced maintenance, and minimal downtime—an unforgettable experience. Some pilots were so convinced they placed orders on the spot. Our U.S. tour proved two things beyond doubt: electric aviation, and especially the B23, delivers exactly what flight schools are looking for—and it already exceeds the expectations of many private and professional pilots.”
Proof came from the 100 orders taken during the tour.
Quietly Making Its Points
H55 claims low noise for their machine, “about one-tenth of the intensity of noise measured in comparison to the piston aircraft (10–15 dB quieter).” This would presumably be measured agaomst Rotax-powered B23, already a relatively quiet machine.
Energic’s motor compartment shows well-organized components. Additional batteries are compact enough to fit in wings
H55 cites operating cost savings with taxi and run-up at just around $0.25 in electricity vs. up to $13 in fuel. Remember the electric aircraft doesn’t idle at rest, but the $13.00 could indicate the use of about two gallons of fuel t0 complete pre-flight operations. This may require more analysis.
H55 notes, “Strong climb rates at 9,524 ft density altitude and 36 °C (97 °F) — outperforming many combustion trainers in hot-and-high conditions.” That’s appreciable performance at the density altitude.
H55’s Bristell B23 Energic exhibits strong performanc at high density altitudes.
Gregory Blatt, H55 Co-Founder, summed up the tour this way. “In four and half months, we completed 192 passenger flights without a single technical issue. Not once did we have to cancel a flight. In fact, the tour allowed us to expand the flight envelope, operating in conditions we had never experienced before—from extreme heat to high-altitude airports—all without downtime. This is a strong validation that our technology is not only ready, but also robust and reliable in real-world conditions. And it’s worth noting that such consistent availability is not always the case with comparable combustion-powered aircraft.”
With the only objection being an an endurance of only about one hour plus 10 minutes reserve, the B23 shares the short range of competitors such as the Pipiestrel Velis. This should be overcome in the next year or two with new batteries coming from CATL and others.
That’s a great benefit of electric vehicles. They have the potential to improve with age and new generations of motors, controllers, and batteries.