Gary Freedman scripted history on November 1 by becoming the first individual to fly across New Zealand's Cook Strait in an electric plane. Freedman's flight comes 101 years after the first flight connected New Zealand's islands with a flight from Blenheim to Wellington.
The 40-minute flight in the two-seater plane by him was aimed at drawing attention to the possibilities of greener flying. It coincided with the opening of the 26th United Nations Conference of Parties (COP) in Glasgow, Scotland.
What's The Pipistrel Alpha Electro?
The Pipistrel Alpha Electro is the world's first battery-powered, emission-free aeroplane to make the flight across the strait, reported New Zealand Herald. Freedman stated the first thing that he witnessed when approaching the Wellington coastline was the rotating blade of a wind turbine producing renewable energy.
Replacing short-haul electric flights would be a huge climate goal for the Kiwis, even if it is just across the strait. "The Cook Strait is one of the reasons Kiwis fly so much," said Freedman. He pointed out that New Zealand has one of the highest short-haul flights per capita anywhere in the world. Building an "electric bridge" between the islands, he said, would help a great deal in keeping essential emissions down.
Weighing less than 400 kg, it takes about one hour to fully charge the plane, Freedman said. After the plane landed, there was still about 40 per cent battery left, he said. "We could have almost flown back again," he added.
Longest Distance Flown In An Electric Plane?
Wellington International Airport officials believe it may be the longest distance flown (78 km) in an electric plane across any body of water. The airport is prepping for regular short-hop flights of new 12-seater electric planes that will begin in around five years', said Raeburn, the airport spokeswoman.
She said that though electric technology is not yet advanced enough to power large passenger planes, biofuels and hydrogen will likely provide greener alternatives in the future.
It is estimated that around 2.4 per cent of global CO2 emissions come from aviation.
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