Norway experiments with electric plane in real-life test
An electric plane flew between the Norwegian airports of Stavanger and Bergen on Thursday, simulating a cargo flight in real-world conditions for the first time, Norwegian airline operator Avinor announced, CGTN reports.
The small aircraft – an Alia built by U.S. aircraft manufacturer Beta – flew 160 kilometers during a test run conducted by the Norwegian branch of the transport company Bristow.
The flight lasted 55 minutes and simulated a cargo route in southeastern Norway.
This is the first time an electric plane has taken the trade route between Stavanger and Bergen," one of Avinor's directors, Karianne Helland Strand, told AFP.
"Everything went very well," she added.
Avinor is the state-owned company that manages airports and air traffic control in Norway.
The test flight, which uses visuals instead of instruments, is part of an evaluation to see how well it could be integrated into air traffic and ground infrastructure.
The Norwegian regulatory authorities are closely involved in the testing process to ensure that electric flights can begin commercial operations as soon as the technology is ready, which is expected between 2028 and 2030.
The testing period started in August and will continue until January 2026.
It's like the first real-world test, pilot Jeremy Degagne told AFP.
The plane's battery life supports trips of up to 400 kilometers – sufficient for a round trip between Stavanger and Bergen.
I don't have range anxiety because we plan to fly the aircraft within the limitations of the aircraft, said Degagne.
In your electric car, you might be like, oh I think I can make it 10 more kilometers to that charging station, he continued. "And in the context of aviation, you wouldn't do that. We have the same limitations of energy as a normal aircraft does for fuel."
In August 2019, Avinor's then-CEO Dag Falk-Petersen was forced to make an emergency landing of an electric plane he was piloting himself in southern Norway when an engine lost power.
Falk-Petersen was not injured during the incident, nor was a Norwegian government minister, who was also on the plane.
Norway, a pioneer of electric cars and boats, aims to establish a similar reputation in aviation by testing low- or zero-emission air travel.
The sector is among the most challenging to decarbonize and now accounts for nearly three percent of global carbon dioxide emissions.
Earlier, it was reported Norway launches a major carbon capture project.
