MTSI Accepts Delivery of Velis Electro Aircraft at New Braunfels National Airport

On October 30, MTSI accepted delivery of its first leased electric aircraft, a Pipistrel Velis Electro, to New Braunfels National Airport, near San Antonio, Texas. MTSI leased a hangar for operations through September of 2024. Under the SMARTECS contract, AFWERX Agility Prime tasked MTSI to lease a small fleet of experimental electric aircraft for operational assessment. The Velis Electro was the first of two from Lincoln Park Aviation, Pipistrel’s US based distributor.

The Electro is the world’s first, and currently only, electric aircraft to receive full type certification from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). It is a two-seat pilot trainer with a revolutionary entirely liquid-cooled electric powertrain. The Electro operates at only 60dBa noise levels and cruises at 90 KCAS with a 50-minute endurance. It will be evaluated as a pilot trainer and as a baseline for electric aircraft operations. These will be operated by company and government pilots.

Over the next few months, MTSI will also see the arrival of unmanned electric aircraft from Pivotal and Pyka to round out the experimental fleet under assessment. This is the first time that MTSI leased aircraft directly from the manufacturers. Mick “Scrabble” Szczukowski, Greg Nix, Jim Muller, Terry Walls, John Muir, Josh “Bubba” Lane, and many others all worked hard to make this happen, and due to their trailblazing efforts, MTSI now has the knowledge and ability to lease aircraft to support other future efforts.