DENVER – September 29, 2017 – The developer of the 4-seat “Sun Flyer” aircraft, called “Sun Flyer 4,” announced that 10 deposits have been received for the airplane that was unveiled at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2017.
“We are absolutely thrilled by the amount of enthusiasm and interest in this exciting new program,” said George Bye, CEO of Aero Electric Aircraft Corp. (AEAC), the company developing the Sun Flyer family of aircraft. “Our special thanks to Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology for being the first flight school to hold a deposit for a Sun Flyer 4.”
“Academy of Aviation,” with training operations in Farmingdale, Long Island and White Plains, Westchester County Airport, New York, took the final delivery position for the Sun Flyer 4 in the “Oshkosh special” announcement. Chris Richards, President/Director said, “Academy of Aviation believes in innovation and embraces change to provide a superior product and experience. The Sun Flyer will advance this next-gen cost-effective capability to a whole new level - this changes everything.”
The 2-seat Sun Flyer, “Sun Flyer 2,” will be the first FAA-certified all-electric trainer aircraft under FAR Part-23. The new 4-seat IFR-capable aircraft will closely follow the certification of the 2-seat version. Features of the Sun Flyer 4 include a 46-inch cabin width, 38-foot wing span, ballistic parachute recovery system and a gross weight of 2,700 lbs., with a full 800 lbs. of payload for pilot and passengers. The projected flight endurance is 4 hours.
“At $5 of electricity per flight hour and under $20 operating cost per flight hour, Sun Flyer 4 will run completely on batteries, resulting in operating costs that are five times lower than costs associated with similar combustion-engine aircraft such as a Cessna 182 or Cirrus SR-20,” Bye said. “The Sun Flyer family of aircraft use transformative electric technology that provides disruptive affordability.”
Spartan College, which holds 25 deposits for production Sun Flyer 2s, will develop a complete training syllabus for the Sun Flyer family of aircraft, including a special course for airframe and powerplant (A&P) technicians to receive specialized electric maintenance training.
Sun Flyer will be the first FAA-certified, U.S.-sponsored, practical, all-electric airplane to serve the flight training and general aviation markets. It features a low operating cost, low aircraft unit cost, low noise and the elimination of exhaust pollutants. Electric energy, or “fuel,” cost for Sun Flyer is multiples lower compared to the per-hour cost for piston-engine leaded avgas.
ABOUT AERO ELECTRIC AIRCRAFT CORP.
Bye Aerospace subsidiary, AEAC, is developing the Sun Flyer family of aircraft, the first FAA-certified U.S.-sponsored, practical, all-electric airplanes serving general aviation and the aviation flight training market. To view recent footage of ground testing, go tohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkKALH9Av6c&feature=youtu.be. For more information, go to www.SunFlyer.com orwww.ByeAerospace.com.
