VoltAero’s Cassio electric-hybrid aircraft is to perform demonstration flights across selected routes in the Netherlands beginning June 13, 2022, to promote highly sustainable regional aviation throughout the Dutch regions.
Utilising VoltAero’s Cassio 1 testbed – the first parallel hybrid aircraft – this week-long deployment will be part of the Netherlands’ Power Up initiative, which is a collaboration aimed at positioning the country for the introduction of electric-powered commercial passenger flights within five years.
The flights are to include analyses of operational costs, noise performance, ground infrastructure requirements and technical support for the future use of Cassio-family aircraft by commercial aviation operators. VoltAero’s proven electric aircraft expertise led to its selection for these demonstration flights, becoming the first company to do so within the Power Up initiative’s framework.
Power Up is an initiative of the four main regional airports in the Netherlands (Eindhoven Airport, Rotterdam The Hague Airport, Groningen Airport Eelde and Maastricht Aachen Airport) with support of Schiphol Group and other partners aimed at facilitating and stimulating the introduction of electric Regional Air Mobility (eRAM) in the Netherlands. The initiative is an open-source accelerator in which aircraft manufacturers (OEMs), airlines and airports work together to develop a new, sustainable and efficient mobility product improving the connectivity of regions.
