Green Flyway, a European Union-backed project to advance the development of electric aviation, opened an international test center for new aircraft at Are Ostersund Airport in Sweden on October 1. The facility is available for use by aircraft manufacturers and companies developing supporting technology and services for environmentally sustainable aviation, and program partners will also able to use Roros Airport in neighboring Norway.
The program is intended as a testbed for electric aircraft, unmanned aircraft systems, air traffic management, and supporting infrastructure. According to Are Ostersund Airport manager Peter Fahlen, the new facilities provide the opportunity for companies to conduct test flights in the uncongested airspace of central Sweden and Norway, as well as over water, forests, and mountains in both summer and winter conditions. Aircraft developers will be able to conduct point-to-point missions on the roughly 120-mile sector between Ostersund and Roros.
During an opening event in Ostersund last week, Slovenian manufacturer Pipistrel demonstrated one of its electric training aircraft and Pure Flight flew its Phinix model. Heart Aerospace, which is developing the ES-19 electric regional airline is also involved in Green Flyway.
In addition to Are Ostersund and Roros airports, regional authorities in Sweden and Norway are also supporting the project. Also involved are the Swedavia airport group, Norwegian airport agency Avinor, the Swedish Civil Aviation Administration, the Swedish Transport Administration, Mid Sweden University, power company Jamkraft, research group Sintef, and Scandinavian Airlines.
All 10 airports in the Swedavia group, which includes Are Ostersund, are committed to achieving zero carbon emissions in their own operations by the end of 2020. The Swedish government has committed to making all domestic flight carbon-free by 2030, while neighboring Norway has a goal of all domestic flights being electrically powered by 2040.
