The UK Civil Aviation Authority has awarded the A8-21 Certificate to the Pipistrel Group, a Slovenian light aircraft manufacturer.
The certificate is key requirement for aircraft manufacturers to meet the standards required by the CAA to design and produce aircraft for the UK market.
The announcement follows a year of successes for the airline, which includes the signing of a partnership with UBER during the Uber Elevate Summit. As per the long-term partnership agreement, the two firms will collaborate together to devise a network supporting vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft vehicles for use in civil aviation.
Aiming for a successful flight demonstration by 2020, Pipistrel will develop aircraft for use in short distance urban operations. VTOL aircraft could prove immensely beneficial in transportation and delivery logistics services.
In addition to its partnership with Uber, Pipistrel has launched two new aircraft types over 2017. The first is the Alpha Electro, a two-seater fully electric trainer airplane designed to help train novice pilots.
The aircraft is additionally suited for traffic-pattern operations, as 13% of its energy is regenerated on each approach. Additionally, the aircraft’s economic design helps to cut cost of training by as much as 70%.
Pipistrel also launched the Panthera, a four-seater aircraft with a range of 1000NM and a cruise speed of 200 KTS. With fuel efficiency a cornerstone of the aircraft’s design, the Panthera reportedly consumes only 46 litres of fuel per hour of flight.
