Ajdovščina, Slovenia, 5 July 2022Pipistrel is announcing it has earned UK Civil Aviation Authority (UK CAA) type certification for the Velis Electro, the only in operation certified electric aircraft in the world.

Pipistrel Velis Electro

The Pipistrel Velis Electro is designed and manufactured by Pipistrel, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company. The type certification also includes the variant models of the Velis Electro, the Explorer and the Velis Club.

“Achieving type certification by the UKCAA is a big milestone for Pipistrel in the UK, as well as within the wider aviation industry,” says Gabriel Massey, president & managing director, Pipistrel. “The Velis Electro is now the only type-certified electric aircraft that can operate in the UK, and this opens up a world of possibility for sustainable flight.”

“I would like to thank our UK distributor, Fly About Aviation, for their support with the certification and look forward to continuing our collaboration to help more British training schools, operators and aviation enthusiasts embrace electric flight.”

The UKCAA certification follows two years to the week that the Velis Electro earned EASA type certification, the first electric aircraft in operation in the world to achieve this milestone.

“For us, electric aviation is the beginning of the runway to cleaner skies and we are delighted with the recent approval of the Velis Electro by the UKCAA,” adds Sergey Grachev, founder of Fly About Aviation. “We can now reach even more UK pilots and continue telling the story of sustainable aviation.”

The Pipistrel Velis Electro will be on display at the Farnborough International Airshow in Hall 4 with NEBOair.

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About Pipistrel

In 2020, Pipistrel’s Velis Electro became the world’s first, and currently only, electric aircraft to receive full type-certification from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). This achievement followed a series of electric aircraft introductions since the company began research and development of electric propulsion in 2000. Pipistrel's pioneering work has been recognized through awards from NASA, IDC, and other organizations. The company, which offers a family of gliders and light aircraft with both electric and combustion engines, has delivered more than 2,500 light aircraft worldwide since its founding in 1989 and additionally has both hybrid and electric propulsion models under development. Pipistrel includes the following companies: PIPISTREL d.o.o., PIPISTREL VERTICAL SOLUTIONS d.o.o and PIPISTREL ITALIA SRL. For more information, visit: www.pipistrel-aircraft.com.

About Textron Inc.

Textron Inc. is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell, Cessna, Beechcraft, Pipistrel, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Arctic Cat, and Textron Systems. For more information, visit: www.textron.com.

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