Pipistrel Velis Electro May Herald New Era of Flight Training

Electric aircraft boasts EASA certification and recent FAA exemption.

Jonathan Welsh

Monday, September 07, 2026 at 09:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Lower fuel reserve rules let the Velis maximize limited battery endurance. [Credit: Frank Galella/Elemental]

Key Takeaways:

The Pipistrel Velis Electro is a pioneering electric aircraft, achieving the first EASA type certification in 2020 and an FAA exemption in 2024 to permit its use for flight training in the U.S.
Primarily aimed at flight schools, it offers advantages such as lower operating costs, significantly quieter operation, zero emissions, and simplified controls compared to traditional piston trainers.
Despite current endurance limitations (around 50 minutes), its entry into flight training is a crucial step towards mainstreaming electric aviation, reducing cost barriers, and addressing noise and environmental concerns.

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Around 2007, when I was heavily into flying radio-controlled aerobatic model airplanes, I outfitted a roughly 20-percent-scale Zlin Z-526 Akrobat model with an electric motor and six-cell lithium-polymer battery pack.

I figured the newer batteries, unlike the nickel-cadmium cells I had experimented with for years, would provide enough power and endurance to complete the demanding aerobatic sequences typically featured at contests. I was also looking for a level of performance that would impress my casual Sunday sport-flyer friends, who were not yet convinced of electric power’s potential. Switching to electric motors from the single-cylinder two-stroke and four-stroke internal combustion engines we had used for decades was a big step among modelers. We used electric power for the occasional self-launching glider but little else.