Ampaire's Hybrid-Electric Eco Caravan Makes First Test Flight | Aviation International News

Hybrid-electric Ampaire Eco Caravan Makes First Flight

The Eco Caravan made a first flight on November 18, marking a key waypoint in Ampaire’s efforts to bring the converted hybrid-electric aircraft to market.

The Eco Caravan soars over California in this photo from its first test flight on Nov. 18, 2022. (Photo: Ampaire)

By Charles Alcock • Managing Editor

November 18, 2022

The Eco Caravan made its first flight on Friday, marking a key waypoint in Ampaire’s efforts to bring the converted hybrid-electric aircraft to market. The 33-minute sortie from the Los Angeles-area Camarillo Airport marks the start of a flight-test program that the California-based startup aims to lead to an FAA supplemental type certificate for its modification kit in 2024.

With test pilot Elliot Seguin at the helm, the aircraft took off at 7:49 a.m. PST and climbed to an altitude of 3,500 feet at full power. The pilot then throttled the aircraft to a cruise setting, reducing the load on both the combustion engine and the electric engine, after which he spent about 20 minutes testing the aircraft’s various power settings and observing temperatures and other sensor readings before descending back toward the airport in a low-power setting, according to Ampaire.

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