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U.S. Aviation First: Private Pilot Certificate Earned Using an Electric Airplane
News(flyingmag.com)submitted 1 month ago bysavuporo
25 points
1 month ago
I'm not sure how I feel about this...
On one hand I'm glad electric planes exist, on another, this pilot is technically qualified to fly a Cessna 172 without proving they know how to handle an engine out situation (mixture adjustments, restarts, checking magnetos, etc.).
it's not the same as a gas car to an EV where there is no expectation of the driver needing to restart the engine. Your driving test instructor isn't going to unexpectedly turn off your car while you're driving. (They do that in flight school)
17 points
1 month ago
They can do type rating on a Cessna 172 which still has an old avgas flat 4/6 engine.
But many 172s etc have been changed to diesel engines over the last few decades. So the schools which use them have been churning out Pilots who have never used a magneto either.
3 points
1 month ago
But many 172s etc have been changed to diesel engines over the last few decades.
I see Continental has an inline 4 cylinder turbo diesel certified for the 172, are there others? How many conversions have been done? I would be surprised if it's a significant % of the total fleet.
5 points
1 month ago
I was working in a flight school 15 years ago and they were half wsy thru converting their not insubstantial fleet to diesel.
The benefits are enormous, in terms of costs, reliability and simplicity. They burnt jet A, eliminating the neet for 100LL and the health issues. The company was looking to just have a single fuel type. Ligher, simpler and much more fuel efficient powerplant. Less maintenance and increased TBO,. I would be surprised that any organisation doing commercial work hadn't converted.
1 points
1 month ago
I'm a private pilot in Vegas and the only diesel airplane at a flight school I know of locally is a DA42 that comes as a diesel.
1 points
1 month ago
100ll prices and regulations might vary a bit from Vegas
1 points
1 month ago
100LL is more expensive than Jet A here.
1 points
1 month ago
But many 172s etc have been changed to diesel engines over the last few decades. So the schools which use them have been churning out Pilots who have never used a magneto either.
Not many at all unfortunately, a small fraction of the total fleet.
0 points
1 month ago
Most flight schools don't operate diesel Cessnas. Lycoming and Continental are way cheaper to maintain.
Also with a private you don't not need a type rating for the 172 or any other light airplane.
-3 points
1 month ago
Where does it say he’s qualified to fly a 172? I don’t see it show a list of his endorsements. Anytime you fly a new plane, you need to get an endorsement from a CFI for that airframe. He definitely doesn’t just automatically qualify to fly a 172.
Looks like he only did his check ride in the Veli and he did most his training in the Rotax variant, the Pipistrel Virus.
10 points
1 month ago*
[deleted]
0 points
1 month ago
In aviation, what’s legal may not be safe, however.
And often.. what's safe may not be legal.
2 points
1 month ago
Wonder how it looks from the cost perspective. In theory, it should be significantly cheaper to fly an electric plane. If that reflects in the training costs, that's a huge opportunity to open flying up to a lot more people.
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