LGAA Earns Type Certificate For Its Fully-Electric RX4E

On December 29, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) issued the world’s first type certification for an electric aircraft under Part 23 regulations. This allows Liaoning General Aviation Academy (LGAA) to operate its fully-electric RX4E as a commercial aircraft.

The Part 23 approval was announced by Volar Air Mobility, which is LGAA’s worldwide sales partner. The company stated: “With this, the RX4E has become the world’s first electric aircraft certified under Part 23 regulations (commercial use). This milestone marks a new era for sustainable aviation, paving the way for commercialization of electric aircraft in the advanced air mobility (AAM) market."

The RX4E took its debut flight in 2019, presenting itself as a short-haul aircraft to assist in connecting underdeveloped areas. The high-wing, fixed tricycle-gear aircraft is slightly larger than the typical Piper Cherokee, the most notable size difference being its 45-foot wingspan. It receives power from a “high efficiency electric propulsion system,” the manufacturer stated.

LGAA claims that the RX4E can fly for around 90 minutes at a time, with an average range of 160 miles and a cruise speed of 120 knots. The machine weighs just under 1900 pounds empty and has a 2645-pound maximum takeoff weight, leaving about 745 lbs of payload for its four seats. It can get off the ground in around 1250 ft and requires a slightly longer landing distance.

The RX4E was developed based on an earlier LGAA design, the RX1E. This two-seat aircraft received light sport certification from the CAAC in 2015. It was fitted with floats in 2021 and named the RX1E-S, making it one of the world’s first certified electric float planes.

As if the recent approval isn’t enough reason to celebrate, LGAA decided to take the RX4E design one step further by looking into a hydrogen-powered variant. This is in the early stages of development, utilizing a prototype airframe retrofitted with a hydrogen-burning internal combustion engine.

FMI: https://lgaaen.sau.edu.cn