Top Letters And Comments, June 12, 2020
This week’s letters brought comments from readers about the first type certificate for an electric aircraft, what flight schools are doing about COVID-19 and the necessity of mitigating COVID-19 risks while flying.
Image: Pipistrel
Pipistrel Earns First Electric Aircraft Type Certificate
Congratulations to Pipistrel on achieving the Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) qualification from EASA for the Velis Electro in much of Europe (the EU). They have worked hard to achieve this electric aircraft milestone and are a true pioneer in advancing this important technology. Well done.
George B.
The market will be the judge of this airplane’s usefulness. It is difficult to have primary students going between airplane types without a bit of regression of skills. Using the electric and dinosaur juice fueled aircraft will most likely lengthen the training time.
Unless an operator uses solar or wing power, then the emissions from the electric generation will be there just occurring at a different location.
I personally like to see companies make bold moves toward new technogogy. Don’t expect Cessna or Piper to do so. I would be very happy to just get the lead out of our fuel and start using some modern FADEC for our engines.
Leo L.
Pipistrel are an extraordinary firm. Brilliant technologists, lateral thinkers, and courageous with it.
Three times winner of the NASA GreenFlight Challenge. Whilst most of the GA plane builders continue to polish 1950’s technology, their blushes saved by the brilliance of the avionics industry’s innovation, Ivo Boscarol is striding out and finding a new path. Small country, modest company, big future. Congratulations.
Jason P.
What Flight Schools Are Doing About COVID-19
Thank you for your recent video showing what flight schools are doing to get back in the air, and especially thanks for bringing a researcher from Harvard in enhance the level this piece. As a part time CFI, I am trying to access the risk I face when I start teaching, and I have little use for pure opinion. I thought your video was great, but I wish two points could have been discussed further.
1) Recent reports show that community spread of COVID can be traced to almost 50% of carriers being asymptomatic. As great as it is to take a person's temperature, it is clear that this virus spreads by people who don't know they have the virus to people who also are not aware of the risk around them.
2) You certainly spoke about the close confines of the training aircraft, but I would have liked to hear more discussion about the length of lesson. At a minimum, I am with my students in the plane and doors closed for an hour or more. The guidelines talk about staying 6' from someone and spending less than 10 minutes if near.
I would love to have AVweb seriously address these questions about exposure and risk. AOPA will not as they have a strong motive to get folks back in the air. I have spoken to multiple students how happen to be MDs, and when pressed, had to agree that a mask in close quarters for over an hour would not be safe if a student or instructor were transmitting the virus. To quote a great line from a celebrated fictional police office..."Do you feel lucky punk?" I'd love to see an honest dialog by an aviation editor, and your piece was a big step in the right direction. Thank you.
Nate W.
Poll: Are You Mitigating Covid-19 Risks in Your Flying?
- Distancing (when able), increased cabin ventilation, and remote ground sessions, but I'm not wearing a mask given the downsides of them and that there isn't enough evidence that they're actually effective against spreading the virus.
- Yes. I'm just flying solo or with family. That is effective mitigating!
- I’m a student pilot and RN for 31 years. I wipe down the high touch surfaces with disinfectant. That’s it.
- No, doing Angel Flights and pre-determining the health of passengers.
- Sanitizing controls, door handles, and many of the items that are touched (I teach at a small flight school). I know the few flight students I have and with all the air blowing thru the cockpit I think the risk is minimal.
- Company sold the airplane (B350) and a broker has the 206L, so I'm not flying.
- Flying above COVID - 60+ hours so far!
- On the ground I’m masked and washing hands after any possible exposure. Flying solo only at this time, and only photo missions, no hamburger runs.
- No! It’s an overblown fraud and YOU ARE PERPETUATING THE FRAUD!
- Would fly solo/with family but won't do BFR, so I'm grounded.
- Yes. Others aren’t taking it seriously.
- I wipe the aircraft, masks are over rated and not necessarily helpful.
- Wearing a mask as a passenger but not in the cockpit where I'm distanced from the passengers.
- Solo, open-cockpit.
- Flying with friends, whom I know have exercised reasonable caution. No masks. I believe risk is overstated by media and controlling politicians. Their lack of concern during protests is evident.
- If you are afraid - then you will have to stop living life there are a host of things that kill a far larger number of people every day than C19 - yet C19 seems to have garnered the spotlight - would you be any sicker or more dead if you contracted cancer ? - If you let fear rule your life then you're finished living anyway.
- Yes - mitigating the risk by only flying with my husband.
- There's a 200-ft rope between my plane and the glider I'm towing. That's probably enough.
- Sanitizing only.
- Yes. Flying my aircraft from my own hanger solo.
- Protection when on the ground and near others.
- COVID is a thing, but it has been blown out of proportion by the news and over-zealous tyrants in positions of power. An individual's risk is low absent co-morbidities.
- Flying solo...helps to escape the mass hysteria.
- Solo, self-serve gas, and carrying mask to use where advisable.
