Ampaire conducts Hawaiian hybrid electric flight trials

Californian green aviation startup Ampaire keeps reaching new milestones it has set for itself.

If, a few weeks ago, its EEL hybrid-electric aircraft (a modified Cessna 337) it completed a +300mile flight, Ampaire has now announced it has successfully completed test flights with Mokulele Airlines, a local commuter airline in Hawaii, which is part of the Southern Airways group (which operates throughout the United States).

These flights are not regular commercial flights in the strict sense of the word, since are classified as experimental by the FAA and only crew and some authorized personnel are allowed onboard, but it is a step close to the “real thing”.

As we explained in our report a few days ago, Ampaire’s EEL uses electric power during the take off, landing and taxiing mainly, but even then it hopes to reduce the carbon footprint by 40-50%.

Besides the environmental aspects, it will also be interesting to see the economics of this approach, which are possibly quite advantageous to the airline, if we take into account the figures that have transpired from other electric or hybrid flight test flights. When it comes to capex, so far Mokulele had only to install an electric charger, a a 208v 3-phase power outlet, in one of its hangars.

Also relevant, is the fact that, just as other green propulsion entrepreneurs, Ampaire uses tried and tested airframes with large operator base as a testbed for its hybrid propulsion system, as an efficient and cheaper way to entice airlines to transition.

Ampaire’s CEO standing next to the EEL