We don’t normally republish complete press releases, but this example from Taja Boscarol at Pipistrel, the Slovenian electric aircraft company, seems worthy of a full reading.
Los Angeles County Promoting Green Aviation
Compton/Woodley Airport Acquires Pipistrel Alpha Electro Aircraft & Charging Station
Los Angeles County Public Works, in partnership with Tomorrow’s Aeronautical Museum welcomed the nation’s first commercial electric aircraft charging station at Compton/Woodley Airport. The Pipistrel SkyCharge docking station will support the museum’s two ALPHA Electro Light Sport all-electric aircraft and ultimately other electric aircraft in the future as electric aircraft gain interest.
The SkyCharge docking station allows two aircraft to simultaneously charge an empty battery in 45 minutes.
Expansion of Electric Aircraft at the County-owned Airports
Tomorrow’s Aeronautical Museum is planning to install additional Pipistrel SkyCharge docking stations throughout the County of Los Angeles system of airports. San Gabriel Valley Airport, located in the City of El Monte, will be next to receive the docking stations. As the ALPHA Electro and other electric aircraft become more abundant and availability of the SkyCharge docking stations expands, pilot training and general aviation overall will become greener – quieter, cleaner, more sustainable, affordable, and compatible with the environment and local communities.
Tomorrow’s Aeronautical Museum
Tomorrow’s Aeronautical Museum is a non-profit organization at Compton/Woodley Airport, which supports the surrounding communities through aviation education, interactive after school programs such as STEAM [Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics] education, and flight training. The Museum introduces disadvantaged youth to flight and provides a pathway to employment in the aviation industry and beyond.
The ALPHA Electro
The video depicts the first takeoff by an Alpha Electro from Fresno Chandler’s airport (KFCH).
The Pipistrel ALPHA Electro Light Sport is a 2-seat, single-engine, all-electric aircraft designed and manufactured in Europe specifically for flight training. The aircraft operates on a zero-emission lithium-ion battery, a sustainable source of energy which significantly reduces geenhouse gases. In addition, a recent study performed by Pipistrel showed that the ALPHA Electro operates at much quieter noise levels than do its gas-powered counterparts. The aircraft are currently certified to operate in rural areas and are in use at Fresno Chandler Executive Airport. Certification from the FAA to allow for operation of the ALPHA Electro within urban areas including the Los Angeles metropolitan area is anticipated to occur soon. Following certification, Tomorrow’s Aeronautical Museum will immediately put them to use at Compton/Woodley Airport.
Formulated by Joseph Oldham, the Sustainable Aviation Project brought Pipistrel Alpha Electro’s to the San Fernando Valley last year, and is preparing to offer flight training to disadvantaged youth at four different airports in the region.