Is the Pipistrel Velis Electro really fully certified?

Yes. The Velis received the world's first EASA electric-aircraft type certificate on 10 June 2020 (TCDS A.573). It is the only fully type-certified electric aircraft in scheduled production today; competing electric trainers (Bye Aerospace eFlyer, Heart Aerospace ES-19) remain in flight-test or pre-production phases.

How long can the Velis Electro fly?

Practical endurance is roughly 50 minutes of flight plus a 10-minute reserve. This is well-suited to the 30–45-minute training sortie pattern typical of PPL ab-initio circuits, traffic patterns, and basic manoeuvring, but not suited to cross-country or extended training. Charging cycle is roughly 1 hour at fast-charge stations; most schools run two batteries per airframe so one charges while the other flies.

What does the Velis cost to operate?

Hourly direct operating cost lands roughly between EUR 60 and EUR 95 per hour, including electricity (around EUR 5/hour at typical European rates) plus amortised battery cycle cost (battery replacement amortised over rated cycle life) and motor reserves. Excludes hangar, insurance, capital cost, charging-infrastructure capex, and instructor. Direct energy cost is an order of magnitude lower than 100LL trainers; total economics are dominated by battery cycle-life and infrastructure capex.

Can the Velis be used in the United States?

FAA equivalent type acceptance is in process. As of 2026 the primary US Velis fleet operates under experimental-category authorisations rather than full Part 21 type acceptance; production is for the EASA-certified market in Europe. Schools planning US sport-pilot Velis operations should confirm the latest FAA pathway with Textron eAviation before committing to a fleet purchase.

Pipistrel (Textron eAviation)

Velis Electro

Single-engine pistonLSA trainerElectric / emergingin production

Power: 76 hp
Cruise: 90 kt
MTOW: 1,543 lb
Range: 0 nm
Fuel: Battery electric

Reference data only — never for flight planning or operational use.

This entry is a fleet-research reference for flight school operators. Always consult the actual aircraft's POH (Pilot's Operating Handbook), the manufacturer's latest service documents, and the relevant FAA / EASA TCDS for any operational decision — flight planning, weight and balance, performance calculations, fuel loading, regulatory compliance, or maintenance scheduling. Numbers shown here are POH-typical for the family's representative variant under standard conditions and are not a substitute for type- and airframe-specific data.

Editorial confidence: Medium confidenceLast reviewed 2026-05-05

2 primary sources cited. Spec data is partially attributed; some operating details are editorial synthesis pending additional research.

View 4 disclaimers specific to this entry

Performance data
Reference data only — never use this entry for flight planning, weight and balance, performance calculations, fuel loading, or any operational decision. Numbers shown are POH-typical for the family's representative variant and standard conditions. Real-world numbers vary by airframe age, weight, density altitude, engine condition, and configuration. Always consult the actual aircraft's POH and the manufacturer's latest service documents.
Cost data
Cost ranges are illustrative reference figures for fleet planning. Actual acquisition, rental, and operating costs vary substantially by region, airframe age, engine and avionics generation, and local market conditions. Numbers should be validated against current quotes from local brokers, schools, and maintenance providers before any commercial decision.
Operator list
Operator lists capture schools and programmes we know to fly the type at scale. Lists are not exhaustive, may include operators that have changed fleets since publication, and should be treated as starting points for verification rather than current customer lists.
Cost data
Battery-electric operating economics are an emerging discipline. The cycle-life amortisation method we use here is reasonable but every operator computes it differently — some amortise across a fixed cycle count, others across calendar age, others book it as a depreciation expense rather than per-cycle. Cost figures here should be treated as illustrative rather than benchmarkable.

🇺🇸Specs shown in Imperial.

Performance

Cruise speed (Vc)90 kt
Never-exceed speed (Vne)108 kt
Stall (landing config) (Vs0)38 kt
Climb rate700 fpm
Service ceiling12,000 ft
Range0 nm
Endurance1 h
Takeoff roll690 ft
Landing roll600 ft

Weights

MTOW1,543 lb
Empty weight947 lb
Useful load596 lb
Baggage capacity26 lb

Dimensions

Wingspan35.4 ft
Length21.3 ft
Height6.9 ft
Cabin width47.2 in

Powerplant

EnginePipistrel E-811-268MVLC — 76 hp · Battery
Total horsepower76 hp
Primary fuelBattery electric
Unleaded pathElectric

Cockpit & avionics

Cockpit typeglass
Autopilot commonly availableNo
Typical packages
- Garmin G3X Touch— modern (current)
- Pipistrel powertrain monitor— modern (standard)
Training note
The Velis cockpit replaces conventional engine instruments with a Pipistrel-developed powertrain monitor showing battery state-of-charge, motor temperature, and remaining endurance. Schools transitioning instructors onto the type spend material training time on energy-management procedures (parallel to fuel-management procedures on conventional trainers).

Certification

RegulatoryEASA CS-LSA
Certified rolesVFR day operations · PPL ab-initio training (per EASA approval)
IFRNo
Spin approvedNo
Aerobatic-categoryNo
TailwheelNo
Complex (FAR 61.31)No
High-performance (FAR 61.31)No

Why is the Velis Electro popular?

Structured popularity-driver evidence. Each axis below carries one factual statement; we don't grade, the facts speak.

Regulatory fit

First EASA type-certified electric aircraft (TC issued 10 June 2020) — the only fully-certified electric trainer in scheduled production today, ahead of competitors still in flight-test phases.

Fuel future-proofing

100% electric powertrain — no exposure to 100LL, EAGLE / UNL94, or Jet-A pricing volatility. Operating cost is dominated by electricity, battery cycle-life amortisation, and grid-charging infrastructure.

Industry network effects

Fleet adoption at Green Flight Academy (Sweden), Saxon Air (UK), and several integrated CPL / IR programmes building dedicated Velis training blocks. Textron Aviation acquired Pipistrel in 2022 and continues factory production with Textron eAviation branding.

Operating economics

Roughly 5 EUR / hour electricity cost in cruise — direct energy cost an order of magnitude lower than 100LL trainers; battery cycle-life amortisation and grid-charging infrastructure dominate the total operating economics.

How flight schools track this aircraft in Aviatize

Schools running Velis fleets configure them in Aviatize fundamentally differently from conventional piston trainers. Battery cycle count is tracked alongside (or in place of) Hobbs / tach time as the primary utilisation metric. Energy cost is modelled per-cycle rather than per-gallon. Battery state-of-health checks and the eventual factory battery replacement are scheduled as recurring maintenance items. Two-battery rotation patterns are commonly modelled in scheduling so that booking turnaround respects battery charge state.

schedulingtraining managementaircraft maintenancebilling

Sources

Provenance for the data on this entry. Primary sources are POH / TCDS / manufacturer pages; derived sources record where Aviatize editorial synthesis is layered on top.

Primary sourcePOH·Retrieved 2026-05-05
Pipistrel (Textron eAviation)
https://www.pipistrel-aircraft.com/aircraft/velis-electro/
Pipistrel Velis Electro product page.
Primary sourceEASA TCDS·Retrieved 2026-05-05
European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)
https://www.easa.europa.eu/en/document-library/type-certificates
EASA TCDS A.573 — first electric-aircraft type certificate issued by EASA.
Editorial synthesisAviatize-internal·Retrieved 2026-05-05
Aviatize editorial
Entry authored by Aviatize from accumulated industry knowledge cross-referenced against the primary sources cited above. Specific fleet figures, fleet wins, and recent production status changes are research-backlog candidates and should be verified against primary sources before flipping verified: true.

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