November 6th, 2022
Historical 1st electric flight in the greater Caribbean region
ORANJESTAD – November 6, 2022, marked a historic day for aviation in the greater Caribbean region with the 1st electric flight effectuated in the Dutch Caribbean with the Pipistrel Velis Electro of Royal NLR. With this flight the 1st International Air Transportation Event “A Flight to the Future”, organized by Aruba Airport Authority N.V. (AAA) on behalf of the Dutch Caribbean Cooperation of Airports (DCCA) was officially opened. The Minister of Transport, Integrity, Nature and Senior Affairs Ursell Arends had the honor of being the first passenger on this electric flight. “This is history in the making! Being the first ever passenger on board an electric flight in the greater Caribbean region has been both an honor and a thrill. Sustainability and innovation are important parts of the Government’s vision for the future and having these electric flights performed within the region is a further testament to our commitment to explore, develop, and implement sustainable efforts.”
In the presence of various invited dignitaries from all six Dutch Caribbean Islands, special guests from The Netherlands, U.S., Canada, Latin America, Central America, Europe and Dutch Caribbean airport executives, the flight with the Pipistrel Velis Electro took off at 17:30PM and lasted a total of 15 minutes. The Pipistrel Velis Electro arrived in Aruba last week and was assembled on the Aruba Airport premises to execute the electric flights during the week of the DCCA 1st International Air Transportation Event – A Flight to the Future.
The Dutch Caribbean Cooperation of Airports (DCCA) is a cooperation between all 6 Caribbean Airports within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. DCCA aims to present future focused alternative air transportation options to improve interisland connectivity between the Dutch Caribbean Islands by making it more affordable, more efficient, and more sustainable and is organizing the 1st International Sustainable Air Transportation Event called “A Flight to the Future” in Aruba from November 7 through 11, 2022. “Health care, labor markets, social networks and the economies can all benefit from more affordable and more sustainable air connections”, said Chair Joost Meijs on behalf of the DCCA.
Royal NLR – Netherlands Aerospace Centre, will be participating in the event. For this occasion, NLR’s electric research aircraft the Pipistrel Velis Electro will perform several e-flights. In fact, today’s flight was the first one with an electric airplane in the greater Caribbean region. The Pipistrel Velis Electro is a 2-seater propeller training aircraft that is fully powered by an electromotor and can fly for a duration of 30 minutes, considering a 30-minute reserve time. The electric research aircraft of NLR will also be demonstrated in the hangar at the airport to the local community of the island. NLR believes it is crucial to involve everyone in the journey to a sustainable future of aviation.
During the week, speeches and presentations will be given, panel discussions will be held, masterclasses will be provided, and daily electric flight demonstrations will be performed with the Pipistrel Velis Electro at Aruba Airport. The knowledge shared during that week of the event will be different each day. Key themes will be: Discover the Undiscovered focusing on Sustainable Aviation, Built for Experience focusing on Sustainable Tourism, Pushing the limits: changing the Future focusing on Sustainable Airport Operations, Reality Check focusing on current Research and Investments, and Connecting Generations which will give the local community the chance to experience the Pipistrel Velis Electro up close.
Free virtual registrations are still available for the event which will be live streamed via www.dccaairports.com/live on November 7 through November 11, 2022. For more information on the event and virtual registration, please visit our DCCA website www.dccaairports.com.
Papiamento
Prome vuelo electrico historico den Caribe
Inauguracion oficial di e evento “A Flight to the Future” di DCCA
ORANJESTAD - Dia 6 di november 2022 tabata un dia historico pa aviacion den region Caribe, cu e prome vuelo electrico realisa den Caribe Hulandes cu e Pipistrel Velis Electro di Royal NLR. Cu e vuelo aki a inaugura oficialmente e prome evento internacional di transporte aereo “A Flight to the Future”, organisa pa Aruba Airport Authority N.V. (AAA) den nomber di Dutch Caribbean Cooperation of Airports (DCCA).
Minister di Transporte, Integridad, Naturalesa y Asuntonan di adulto mayor Ursell Arends, tabatin e honor di ta e prome pasahero den e vuelo electrico aki. “Esaki ta historia den proceso! Pa ta e prome pasahero abordo di un vuelo electrico den region Caribe tabata un honor y alabes un emocion. Sostenibilidad y innovacion ta un parti importante di e vision cu gobierno tin pa futuro y pa por tin e vuelonan electrico aki realisa den region ta un testimonio mas di nos compromiso pa explora, desaroya y implementa esfuerso sostenibel.”
Den presencia di varios mandatario invita for di seis isla den Caribe, invitado special di Hulanda, Merca, Canada, Latino America, Central America, Europa y varios ehecutivo di diferente aeropuerto di Caribe, e Pipistrel Velis Electro a lanta vuelo pa 17:30PM cu a dura 15 minuut. E Pipistrel Velis Electro a yega Aruba siman pasa y a asambl’e den hangar di Aeropuerto di Aruba mes p’asina por ehecuta e vuelonan electrico durante e siman di “A Flight to the Future”.
Dutch Caribbean Cooperation of Airports ta un cooperacion entre e seis aeropuertonan di Caribe denter di Reino Hulandes. DCCA tin como meta pa presenta diferente opcion di transporte aereo alternativo cu enfoke riba futuro, p’asina por mehora e conectividad interinsular entre e islanan di Caribe Hulandes haciendo esaki uno mas accesibel, mas eficiente y mas sostenibel. P’e motibo aki ta organisa e prome evento internacional di transporte aereo sostenibel “A Flight to the Future” cu ta tuma luga for di 7 pa 11 di november na Aruba.
“Servicio medico, mercado laboral, red social y e economia por beneficia di e conexionnan aereo mas accesibel y sostenibel”, segun presidente Joost Meijs den nomber di DCCA.
Royal NLR - Netherlands Aerospace Centre, lo participa den e evento. P’e ocasion aki, e avion di investigacion electrico NLR, e Pipistrel Velis Electro, lo realisa varios vuelo electrico. Ademas,e vuelo di awe tawata e prome vuelo di un avion electrico den Caribe. Pipistrel Velis Electro ta un 2-seater propeller training aircraft cu ta completamente “powered” pa un electromotor cu por bula pa 30 minuut, tumando en cuanto un 30 minut di tempo di reserva. Lo demostra e avion di investigacion electrico di NLR tambe den e hangaar na aeropuerto pa e communidad di nos isla. NLR ta kere cu ta crucial pa involucra un y tur den e biahe pa un futuro di aviacion sostenibel.
Durante henter e siman di e evento, lo tin diferente discurso y lo haci varios presentacion, alabes lo realisa diferente panel di discusion, lo provee varios masterclass y lo realisa algun demostracion diario di vuelo electronico cu Pipistrel Velis Electro na nos aeropuerto.E conocemento comparti durante e siman di e evento lo ta diferente tur dia. E temanan clave lo ta:
Ainda tin posibilidad pa registra y atende e evento aki di manera virtual cu lo ta transmiti “live” a traves di www.dccaairports.com/live di 7 pa 11 di november 2022. Pa mas informacion tocante e evento y pa por registra participacion virtual, por bishita e website www.dccaairports.com.
