It makes almost no noise, does not vibrate on takeoff and emits no CO2. Velis Electro, this small 650 kg two-seater is the first 100% electric aircraft to have received the green light from the European Aviation Safety Agency to fly and board tourists. In Haute-Savoie, a private operator, Avialpes, based near Annecy, is the first to have acquired it and the only one in the world to offer sightseeing flights and flying lessons on board since mid-June. "In the air, you can only hear the wind and the rotating propeller", describes Emmanuel Rety, co-manager of Avialpes, who is delighted with the possibilities offered by the discretion of the electric motor.
" It's great ! This gives us the right to fly over an area of Mont Blanc which is now forbidden to airplanes with combustion engines, from June to October, ”he explains. A recent flight restriction which follows complaints from the mayors of Chamonix and Saint-Gervais who no longer supported the noise of "real air meetings" above the roof of Europe. With its two batteries each weighing 70 kg, the Velis Electro has so far a flight range of 50 minutes. Sufficient for a tour above Lake Annecy, a little too tight to go to the glaciers of Mont Blanc in one go. “We remain limited in terms of places and flight time.
For Mont-Blanc, we have to stop halfway through the Megève altiport to reload the aircraft for 1h15 before heading back to Mont-Blanc ”, explains Emmanuel Rety. But he remains optimistic about the future. “We are still in the early days of electric, improvements will come with time. Let's say we fly in the plane of the future! », He concludes. For a ride on board, it will cost an average of 219 euros for 30 minutes of flight.
