Briefing Schedule AT AOPA Aviation Summit In Long Beach

Bye Energy and Cessna plan to release details of their effort to develop an electric propulsion system for a Cessna 172 Skyhawk during the AOPA  Aviation Summit this week in Long Beach, CA.

Bye Energy announced The Green Flight Project earlier this year, and is developing, with support from Cessna, electric and electric-hybrid propulsion systems for light general aviation aircraft. The company is planning to fly an electric-powered Cessna 172 Skyhawk proof of concept aircraft in the spring of 2011.

George Bye, CEO of Bye Energy, said integrated ground testing began within the past week on the various hardware components of the initial electric propulsion system. "Early test results are confirming that our assumptions of the benefit of electric propulsion are positive," he said. "I would like to once again thank everyone at Cessna for their outstanding support and collaboration on this ambitious effort."

Cessna Chairman, President and CEO Jack J. Pelton said: "Cessna is enthusiastic about the concept of integrating electric propulsion into mainstream general aviation, and we are actively engaged in Bye Energy's development efforts with the electric Cessna 172 proof of concept aircraft."

FMI: www.TheGreenFlightProject.aero, www.cessna.com