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December 09, 2022

Aura Aero Sells Electric Glider Tow Plane

French Gliding Federation Eyes Integral for Affordable, Sustainable Support Operation

French Sport plane manufacturer Aura Aero has obtained the approval of the French Gliding Federation (Fédération Française de Vol en Planeur, or the FFVP), with their purchase of an electric INTEGRAL. The Federation will use their new aircraft as a glider tow for a local club, making them the first to operate an all-electric towing aircraft in France. The electric operation will help to minimize sound pollution, carbon emissions. While such reductions are dandy, the most important aspect to young students and cash-strapped gliding enthusiasts is the cost of electric operation over avgas-powered tow planes.

The Airplane Never Became Airborne, And Instead Veered Left

On November 15, 2022, at 1530 eastern daylight time, an experimental amateur-built DA-2 airplane, N4307Q, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Oak Hill, Florida. The student pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. A witness, who was the seller of the accident airplane stated that he purchased the airplane 2 years before, and that he had only about 3 hours of flight experience in the airplane. He further stated that the airplane’s flight controls were “very sensitive”.