Electric Planes Join airBaltic Training Fleet

airBaltic Training, a subsidiary of the Latvian airline airBaltic, has signed a letter of intent (LOI) with Diamond Aircraft for the acquisition of three all-electric eDA40 and two DA42-VI aircraft for pilot training. The airBaltic Pilot Academy's fleet will now grow to 15 aircraft in total. The signing took place during the Baltic International Airshow in Liepaja (Latvia) from 15-16 June 2024.

The eDA40, which will be the first EASA/FAA certified electric airplane in its category according to airBaltic, marks a major step towards zero-emission flight training. It uses advanced electric motors with over 94% efficiency and a dual winding/controller. Its all-electric design ensures zero emissions and lower noise levels for eco-friendly pilot training. Moreover, the eDA40 features dual string battery system and a fast charging system that can recharge the aircraft in 20-30 minutes, reducing downtime and increasing training efficiency.

“We are dedicated to expanding our fleet with cutting-edge technology to meet the growing demand for highly skilled aviation professionals,” Pauls Cālītis, Chief Operations Officer of airBaltic. “Therefore, we have decided to continue our successful cooperation with a long-term partner Diamond Aircraft, by jointly agreeing on the delivery of an additional five aircraft, gradually until 2030. The airBaltic Pilot Academy, which recently celebrated the addition of its 10th Diamond DA40 NG aircraft, continues to invest in advanced training technologies.”

There are 136 active students at the airBaltic Pilot Academy at the moment. Most of them are from the Baltic countries, however, there are students also from other EU countries such as Denmark, Germany, France, Finland, Spain and Italy among others. Overall, more than 10% of airBaltic Pilot Academy students are female. As for now, 99 students, after graduating, have joined airBaltic.