Electric Airplane Milestones

H55, a Swiss electric aviation pioneer and spinoff from the Solar Impulse project, announced a major commercial milestone: its ‘Bristell B23 Energic’ two-seater electric airplane has its first two years of production fully booked. During a U.S. demo tour based in Palo Alto, California, H55 conducted over 50 test flights with flight school instructors and general aviation pilots. Enthusiastic feedback -- highlighting the plane’s near-silent operation, minimal vibration, and dramatically lower operating costs -- translated into multiple on-site orders for the battery-powered trainer.

According to H55, the surge in demand indicates the market is ‘ready for electric flight training.’ The Bristell B23 Energic, one of the first certified electric trainer aircraft (Part 23 certified in Europe), offers about 1.5 hours of endurance per charge and uses overnight charging instead of fuel fill-ups. While that endurance suits typical training patterns, its advantages include 80% lower energy costs (electricity vs avgas) and far less maintenance (no oil changes or engine overhauls). The company’s Executive Chairman André Borschberg (known for co-flying the Solar Impulse solar plane) stated that this proves electric aviation has ‘moved from the future to the present tense,’ with H55 now transitioning from an R&D phase into revenue-generating production.

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