10 out of 10 - Kapiti Coast

Our Pipistrel Electro “Rerengo Hiko” just spend 10 fantastic days with the Kapiti District Aero Club. The Club was inundated with enquiries and booking for a flight in NZ’s first and only electric plane. And there was such a long waiting list, that we couldn’t get everyone up. However, we did fly every day, 10 out of 10. A total of 57 people experienced electric flight. In fact, despite a terrible winter forecast and the shortest week of the year (winter solstice), ZK-EAL flew more time and more hours than any other petrol plane at Kapiti, proving it is a truly useful training aircraft. And it managed all those flights on pure electrons. Not a drop of dinosaur juice was gobbled up.

We wanted to give a special shoutout to the folks at the wonderful Kapiti Coast Aero Club who were friendly, hospitably and professional. Most of their team of instructors managed a flight in the plane, and we imagine they’ll be back for type ratings in the future.

On Friday 18th June the Club hosted a Future of Flight event, which was well attended with several dignitaries including:

• Kapiti Mayor Guru

• MP for Ōhāriu Greg O’Connor

• MP for Ōtaki Terisa Ngobi

• Civil Aviation Authority CEO Keith Manch

The Kapiti Coast Airport is under threat of closure from developers. Once an airfield goes, there is no chance of getting it back. We hope that the guests and politicians who came to see AND fly in the plane were encouraged by the future of sustainable, quiet aviation and will help in the flight to keep smaller, regional airfields alive.

NZ Herald article and video HERE