PIPISTREL now believes it has now confirmed the market viability of its proposed Miniliner small regional aircraft.
Pipistrel claims that the Miniliner “is a new kind of zero-emission airplane in the 20-seat size class, capable of operating quietly from runways shorter than 1 km, including grass airstrips at small aerodromes. These aeroplanes have the potential to disrupt aerial mobility, connecting currently unserved populations at 200 to 1,000 km range, but also catering for microfeeder services from small airports to large hubs.”
Pipistrel have achieved significant success with electric aircraft but this is a large step up for the Slovian company. It is partnering with universities under the also EU-funded UNIFIER19 project.
The company says its key objective is the nonnegotiable requirements of zero-emission, quiet and safe operations. Several engine options are being considered, including hydrogen-based propulsion systems. Pipistrel’s believes it can achieve a Direct Operating Cost reduction of 30 to 40% on a per-seat metric relative to current aircraft.
The company is aiming for an entry into service of 2028- 2030. It says the proposed concepts are geared towards not requiring large infrastructural investments.
To overcome current challenges on the regulatory, operational and technological domains, Pipistrel is engaging with Europe’s Clean Aviation, SESAR and EASA, as well as setting up multiple industry partnering initiatives.
