A historic achievement has been unlocked today after the Israeli startup “Eviation” marked the first official flight of their newly developed all-electric commuter aircraft, “Alice”. This is one of the most ambitious and critical projects of the company as the aircraft has finally become able to conquer the skies after a lot of delays in the form of ground testing and quality inspections. Interestingly enough, the aircraft has been regarded as the “world’s first all-electric commuter aircraft” by Eviation. Hence, in the coming days, we expect that the company will scale up the operations of this futuristic aircraft.
It should be noted that the aircraft made its first flight on September 27 at Grant County International Airport (KMWH) in Moses Lake, Washington. In its maiden flight, the aircraft flew at an altitude of about 3,500 feet above sea level and remained in the sky for about 9 minutes and 3 seconds. Not to mention, the aerospace engineering company AeroTEC was involved in the manufacturing of the aircraft, and some ground tests of “Alice” have also been performed at AeroTEC’s Moses Lake facility. You might remember that the company was giving highlights regarding the progress of the aircraft, and the most recent achievement was demonstrated in its “high-speed taxi rotation test” that occurred on September 18, 2022.
Coupled with this, the CEO and President of Eviation, Gregory Davis, stated in an official press release, “Today we embark on the next era of aviation – we have successfully electrified the skies with the unforgettable first flight of Alice. People now know what affordable, clean, and sustainable aviation looks and sounds like for the first time in a fixed-wing, all-electric aircraft. This ground-breaking milestone will lead to innovation in sustainable air travel, and shape both passenger and cargo travel in the future.”
To that end, the plane has been designed to carry nine passengers and two pilots, and can fly at a maximum range capacity of about 250 nautical miles. Moreover, the maximum cruising speed at which “Alice” can fly is 260 knots. A luxurious touch has been given to the interior of the plane, along with an “executive” configuration of the seats. Along with this, a high-energy density battery has also been used that “functions as a structural part of the aircraft, meaning the plane cannot fly without the battery there, from a load-bearing perspective.” However, the aircraft will most likely be slated to swing into action by 2025 after being certified by the FAA, as per Omer Bar-Yohay, who was the former CEO of Eviation.
Moreover, the CEO of GlobalX, Ed Wegel, said, “Eviation’s Alice aircraft is setting the standard in sustainable aviation, and we plan to offer the aircraft to our cruise line, tour operators, leisure travel providers, and business clients with a need for short-haul charter flights across Florida.”