Build commences of Bye Aerospace’s first all-electric aircraft
Bye Aerospace has commenced construction of its first all-electric aircraft, the eFlyer 2, which the Colorado-based company intends to offer as a FAA-certified, zero-emission training trainer.
The milestone aircraft (serial number 00001) is being assembled at Bye Aerospace’s facilities in Denver, with the outcome “a full-scale aircraft that will undergo extensive aerodynamic testing, derisking the remaining certification tasks,” explains its manufacturer. The initiative to “fabricate and assemble an all-composite structure” is also intended to “validate approved design plans, and establish innovative production processes”.
“This clean-sheet design allows us to deliver an aircraft that not only meets but exceeds the performance and efficiency expectations of our aviation clients,” explained Bye Aerospace CEO Rod Zastrow, who described the start of the build as marking “a historic moment for [the] company and the aviation industry as a whole”.
The eFlyer 2 is designed to be fully electric, helping reduce operating costs by up to 80% compared to traditional powerplants. Featuring a whole-aircraft parachute, the trainer is the first-ever applicant for FAA 14 CFR Part 23 Amendment 64 (all-electric) certification.
