Reykjavik Flight Academy purchases eFlyer training aircraft

Reykjavik Flight Academy (Reykjavík, Iceland), which train private pilots in accordance with European Aviation Safety Administration (EASA) regulations, has entered into an agreement for the purchase of three all-electric composites-intensive eFlyer training aircraft from Bye Aerospace (Denver, Colo., U.S.). With the purchase, the school reportedly breaks new ground in the history of flight instruction in Iceland, as this will be the first time students will be offered instruction on electric-only aircraft. The introduction of the Bye Aerospace eFlyer into the flight school fleet is also an important milestone in decarbonization for Icelandic aviation and marks the beginning of a new and more environmentally friendly future in flight instruction.

The Academy purchased two eFlyer 2 two-seater primary training aircraft and one aircraft eFlyer 4 four-seater advanced training aircraft. Additionally, an agreement is under negotiation for the option to purchase two additional eFlyer aircraft, which will be announced later. 

“Investment in electric aircraft for training is a major step, both in the history of aviation in Iceland in general and as part of environmental initiatives that are currently taking place,” says Hjörvar Hans Bragason, principal of Reykjavík Flight Academy. “With the new aircraft, Reykjavik Flight Academy will be a leader in its field and will be able to offer first-class equipment for training and instruction. Increased safety, lower costs and more environmentally friendly options will be a guiding principle in our service to the pilots of the future. ”

According to Reykjavik Flight Academy, the use of electric aircraft for training is advantageous. Electric motors can deliver a relatively high power output and the eFlyer 2 will deliver 150 horsepower/110 kilowatts which is about 40-50% more than an equivalent class of combustion engine with no density altitude losses. Further, the replacement of fossil fuels saves in operating costs — electric aircraft are estimated to be only about one-fifth of the operation cost of comparable conventional aircraft that use aviation gasoline fuels — and the carbon footprint and noise impact will be negligible.

In addition, as a teaching tool, the eFlyer aircraft are said to be at the forefront. They are equipped with the optimized controls and advanced Garmin navigation equipment. Another innovative feature includes the parachutes attached to their fuselage; the covers can be released with one handle and will glide safely to the ground. This comes as standard equipment on these training aircraft and greatly increases student safety. Bye Aerospace’s aircraft also ensures three hours of flight endurance, compared to one hour offered by market competitors.

“We are grateful to our partners at Reykjavik Flight Academy for their leadership in Iceland, and for recognizing the many important benefits of electric aviation. We look forward to many eFlyer deliveries of Reykjavik Flight Academy in the coming years,” says George E. Bye, CEO of Bye Aerospace.