Evaluations Aim to Build Experience in Battery Flight for AFWERX Program

The 96th Test Wing of the US Air Force published a handful of shots illustrating its test flights of their new battery-powered Pipistrel Felix Electro, showing two fatigued airmen squished into the 2-seat LSA.

The program sees about 20 volunteers put the aircraft through its paces at Eglin AFB, in town for a 3-week tour. Those involved are taking plenty of notes and observations about what works for the aircraft, helping to build a base of knowledge for the AFWERX program, among others.

The test campaign seems a little fun and unfocused, even, without any particular tender in mind or cutting-edge tech to assess. 

Instead, the Air Force seems happy to make use of a new product on the market to get a feel for where the industry is, and the Velis happens to be a pretty handy and accessible entry point into the world of electric flight.

 Those seeing a camouflaged airman squeezed into an LSA may immediately think that it's all a tryout for future trainers in the service, but the Air Force has happily pawned that off to contractors and schools where possible - it's not likely the Velis will be the next-gen Mescalero or Texan by any means. 

"Eglin offers a unique blend of airspace, test pilots, charging infrastructure, and prior electric aircraft experience that swayed a QE deployment to the Florida panhandle," said Lieutenant Colonel John Tekell, AFWERX's Agility Prime lead. There wasn't much more to add, according to the USAF, aside from a few more glossy jpegs showing some folks from the service having a grand old time in the springtime Florida sunshine. Sometimes, it's all right just to let people have some fun on the clock.

FMI: www.af.mil