Electric plane taxi entrepreneur has eyes on Tyabb

Electric aircraft – planes with batteries instead of fuel engines. Most people shake their heads. No, thanks.

At least if an electric car runs out of juice, you’re stuck on the side of the road. Call someone to come and get you. Maybe even walk. A plane runs out of juice? No, thanks.

Relax – things are changing rapidly, especially for small recreational pilot training aircraft. And if the plane plans of Perth entrepreneur Korum Ellis, 40, founder of FlyOnE (fly on electricity), come to fruition, we’ll soon be able to take air taxis from Tyabb aerodrome in a Pipistrel electric plane.

The Pipistrel (Italian for ‘bat’) Alpha Electro II is made in Slovenia and costs $250,000. It weighs 368kg with its two 57kg batteries, which take an hour to recharge. They power a 60kW electric engine at a top speed of 100 knots (160km/h), cruising at 70-85 knots for one hour carrying two people, with 30 minutes in reserve. That’ll easily get you from the Mornington Peninsula to Avalon, Moorabbin, Essendon or the Yarra Valley.

Korum is an evangelist for electric aircraft. The former model, actor and later owner of Audicom, a vehicle electronics business, first got the electric bug with bicycles. He started a hire company that he still operates in Perth.

Korum calls himself “Electric plane guy” and this year flew the first electric plane over Sydney and Melbourne. FlyOnE has placed a Pipistrel and recharging station at Lilydale Flying School where students are now taking lessons – the first steps in revolutionising the recreational pilot training industry in Victoria.

FlyOnE is in partnership with Cloud Dancer Pilot Training at Jandakot Airport south of Perth, which is using the Pipistrel, a world-first in recreational pilot training, approved by Australia’s Civil Aviation Authority.

“Within two years there’ll be some incredible general aviation electric aircraft with four and five seats,” Korum said. “The Pipistrel Alpha Electro is carbon-composite with 21kWh of battery storage. Traditional petrol-powered trainer aircraft like the Cessna 152 can use 20-30 litres of fuel an hour.

“The Pipistrel has far fewer moving parts than traditional aircraft so a lot less can go wrong. They are 30-50 per cent quieter than normal aircraft. It’s like riding in a bus; you can talk above the noise. This is the beginning of a major change in aviation. It’s going to sneak up on people like electric cars. A few early movers will make a Musk-load (of money) in the process.”

Korum said FlyOnE was “working with Moorabbin and Tyabb” aerodromes to launch air taxi services as early as 2024. His vision is to have charging stations at about 15 aerodromes in Victoria, including Avalon, Moorabbin, Tyabb, Tooradin, Bendigo and in Gippsland. A parallel rollout will occur in NSW and Queensland. FlyOnE has two stations in greater Perth – at Jandakot and Mandurah – and the city’s holiday island of Rottnest is next.

The company is the brand ambassador, sales agent and service and parts provider for Pipistrel electric aircraft in Australia.

Tyabb aerodrome is owned and managed by Peninsula Aero Club, whose spokesman, club secretary Luke Bramston, said the club had held initial discussions with FlyOnE and had asked for a comprehensive proposal. “Recent advances in electric aircraft are very exciting and one way for aviation to grow. At PAC, we’re open to exploring how we can integrate this technology into our services and future training options.”

There is more on the Pipistrel and electric aircraft generally on FlyOnE’s website: www.flyone.com.au

Top Image: Electric aircraft entrepreneur Korum Ellis was the first to fly an electric plane over Melbourne and Sydney. Bottom Image: The Pipistrel Alpha Electro II battery-powered plane.