Although it isn’t certified yet in the U.S., some Pipistrel electric-powered Velis Electros are flying here, and pilots and maintainers are gaining experience with the aircraft. The FAA recently announced a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would finally allow manufacturers of light sport aircraft (LSA) such as the Velis to gain approval for electric power under LSA regulations. The Velis Electro is type certified by EASA.
Meanwhile, Textron eAviation, which bought Pipistrel in 2022 for about $218 million, has been flying a Velis Electro in Wichita and letting company pilots learn the constraints and pleasures of flying the new machine.
At EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, eAviation donated a Velis Electro to be auctioned at The Gathering, the annual fundraiser for EAA charitable programs. According to eAviation president and CEO Rob Scholl, “We’re proud to support EAA and the Young Eagles program, which has provided young people around the world with their first exposure to aviation for more than 30 years. We know that exciting new technologies and aircraft, like the Pipistrel Velis Electro, can attract the next generation to our industry and we are committed to playing our part.”
The Velis Electro retails for $220,000. Textron Aviation brought a Velis Electro to its EAA AirVenture exhibit, along with a Pipistrel Alpha trainer, Sinus motorglider, and Panthera high-performance piston single.
Velis Electro Operation
Scholl recently gave this writer a demonstration flight in the Velis Electro, which eAviation is operating under an experimental certificate that limits flying to company or Textron Aviation Employees Flying Club pilots. I’ve logged a few hours in the Pipistrel Alpha Trainer, which is similar to the Velis, but the Electro has a longer wing and, of course, a much different set of power controls and propulsion system instruments. Like the Alpha, the Velis requires careful speed management on final approach; too fast, and the airplane just doesn’t want to land and a go-around will be required, something that Scholl said he quickly learned when he first began flying the Velis.
With two lithium-ion battery packs, the Velis is powered by Pipistrel’s E-811-268MVLC liquid-cooled electric motor capable of delivering 65 kW, managed by the liquid-cooled H300C power controller. The Velis is certified by EASA under CS-LSA regulations and is limited to day VFR. Like U.S. LSA rules, the Velis is limited to an mtow of 600 kg (1,320 pounds). Empty weight is 428 kg and payload is 172 kg.
Textron eAviation has applied to the FAA for an exemption to allow revenue flight training in the Velis Electro, but Scholl is looking forward to the proposed new Mosaic rules that should finally include electric power as an LSA option.
The Velis Electro is not equipped with a whole-airframe ballistic parachute, something that is standard on the piston-powered Pipistrels. The LSA mtow limitation wouldn’t accommodate the weight of the parachute, two occupants, and the electric propulsion system’s heavy batteries. Unlike piston-powered airplanes that grow lighter during flight as fuel is burned, electric aircraft weigh the same at landing and takeoff.
Two Pipistrel PB345V124E-L batteries power the Velis, one mounted in the nose behind the engine and one fitted in the area that normally is taken up by the fuel tank behind the seats in conventional Pipistrel Alphas. Battery management system components are mounted beside the batteries. The batteries are liquid-cooled, and the pumps are located aft of the rear battery. Each battery weighs 70 kg; while they can’t be easily swapped out, they are charged with a Pipistrel charging system, which needs an hour for a more than 90 percent charge and up to two hours for 100 percent.
The engine’s cooling system includes a radiator and uses .9 liters of coolant; the battery system 5.4 liters (5.7 quarts). Fans help cool the 50/50 water/glycol coolant during ground operations and while charging the batteries.
Electric Flying
With a relatively small electric range, Velis Electro pilots need to maintain awareness of the batteries’ limitations. Generally, the way flight schools in Europe use the Velis Electro is for close-in training and traffic pattern work, coupled with a gas-powered Virus for longer-distance flying. In locations where a suitable airport is close, taking off then flying there for takeoff and landing practice then returning is a sensible mission, Scholl explained.
For example, from Beech Factory Airport in Wichita where the Textron Aviation flying club is housed, the Velis could be flown 20 nm to El Dorado or even to much closer neighboring Jabara. One does have to be wary of delays on the ground at busy airports, so the Velis isn’t flown to Textron Aviation’s headquarters at Eisenhower National Airport.
However, as I discovered as we taxied for takeoff at Beech Airport, the Velis uses a tiny amount of power when stopped because pulling the power lever all the way back on the ground simply stops the electric motor. Pushing the power lever forward starts the motor turning again. But in any case, the less time spent on the ground, the more time available in the air.
The pilot’s operation handbook (POH) advice for flying the Velis is to make sure to land with at least 30 percent state of charge (SOC), which is displayed on the EPSI570C (electric propulsion system instrument or EPSI) for each battery. Takeoff shouldn’t be attempted with less than 50 percent SOC, and the manual says “do not initiate a go-around procedure if SOC [is less than] 15 percent.”
Another indicator on the EPSI shows remaining flight time at the current power setting, but this is considered advisory because it varies as the power setting changes. “I don’t pay super-close attention to the minutes [remaining time],” Scholl said, and he does rely more on the SOC.
We took off on Runway 19 at the intersection near the flying club, which minimized taxi time and left plenty of runway for the Velis. With one notch of flaps set, Scholl advanced the power lever and made sure the motor was developing more than 50 kW. After liftoff, he pulled the power back to 40 kW and retracted the flaps and set the climb speed to Vy, 75 knots. Although the manual says to use 48 kW for climb, we didn’t need that much power, even though it was warm and density altitude was 3,000 feet. The motor is extremely smooth, although the propeller still generates some noise by disturbing the airflow. But inside the cockpit, the noise level is far lower than a piston-powered airplane.
We climbed to 3,000 feet and flew east for a bit then turned back and descended to traffic-pattern altitude, 2,400 feet, and entered left base for Runway 19. Power during the descent was just 16 kW, which corresponded to 47 minutes remaining flight time. At idle, the Velis can recuperate some energy, like coasting in a hybrid or electric car, although this feature isn’t yet standard on the Velis. With full flaps and 10 kW, airspeed on final settled at 60 knots.
After touching down, Scholl added power and we took off again. On downwind leg, with power at 22 kW, remaining flight time was 32 minutes, but the SOC showed 63/64 percent for the two batteries, which is still a good amount of juice.
Just after we turned final on the next landing, the tower controller told us to go around and Scholl brought the power to 36 kW and the Velis climbed away smartly. On downwind leg, SOC was 53/54 percent, power at 20 kW, and time left 29 minutes. We did one more touch-and-go, and after landing and taxiing back to the club, the Velis still showed 40 percent on both batteries.
My first electric flight in the Velis exceeded my expectations. I had thought I would be more worried about the remaining flight time and SOC, but I didn’t feel any differently than I would flying a piston-powered airplane, albeit I was well aware that we didn’t have the range afforded by avgas. The Velis feels and performs much like the Pipistrel Alpha and the electric propulsion is well integrated with a fairly logical pilot interface.
I do wonder whether there might be a better way to inform the pilot about what can be done with how much battery charge is available. Perhaps some kind of analog to the fuel consumption display in a piston-powered airplane or maybe average electricity consumption. But the SOC clearly shows what the batteries are doing both with a number and a gauge depiction, and it’s not hard to understand what that means.
Pilots checking out in the Velis should spend some time studying the POH as it is far more detailed than the piston-powered Alpha’s and clearly spells out all the ways the electrics can cause problems and what to do in each situation, as well as provides extensively detailed performance charts.
There are around 10 Velis Electros in the U.S., some owned by Textron Aviation distributors, and about 100 worldwide. One buyer in the Northeast U.S. bought a Velis and used it to earn his private pilot license. The Velis is validation certified in 30 countries. The FAA has acknowledged eAviation’s exemption application, according to Scholl. “We are in discussions,” he said, “and we’re encouraged by what we’re hearing.”
Since he started flying the Velis, Scholl has found that people are fascinated when they learn that he is an “electric pilot.” People will tell him they think they saw him fly over, but that they couldn’t even hear the Velis because it is so quiet. “This little airplane has gotten so many people to come see it,” he said. “It just draws attention.”