This milestone in electric aviation took place after four weeks of flight testing in the Camarillo area for this second Electric EEL test aircraft, which first flew on September 10th. In that period, the aircraft flew over 30 hours during 23 flights, in 28 days, with 100% dispatch reliability. “Our success in taking this aircraft in a short period from the test environment to the normal, everyday operating environment is a testament to our development and test organization, and to the systems maturity we have achieved with our second aircraft,” said Ampaire General Manager Doug Shane.
A former president of Scaled Composites, Shane is one of the world’s foremost experts on the development and flight testing of new aviation concepts.
“The ability to put innovative electric technologies into the air rapidly in order to assess and
refine them,” he added, “is central to Ampaire’s strategy to introduce low-emissions aircraft for
regional airlines and charter operators within just a few years.”
The EEL flown to Hayward is dubbed the Hawaiʻi Bird, as it will take part later this year in a
series of demonstration flights with Hawaiʻi-based Mokulele Airlines on its short-haul routes.
The flight trials with Mokulele will not only demonstrate the capabilities of the EEL but will help
to define the infrastructure required for wide adoption of electric aviation by airlines and
airports. These flight demonstrations will mark the first time an electrically-powered aircraft
has flown under an FAA “Market Survey” experimental aircraft certificate in order to gain realworld flight experience.