Pipistrel Velis Electro, Explorer, Velis Club aircraft earn type certificate validation from Transport Canada

Pipistrel, a Textron Inc. company, today announced that Transport Canada has validated the type certificate for the currently produced Pipistrel Explorer, Velis Club and Velis Electro. This milestone paves the way for operators to own and fly the validated aircraft models, opening new opportunities for flight schools to incorporate these aircraft into their curriculum, providing future pilots advanced training opportunities.

"Transport Canada's validation of these aircraft type certificates serve as an acknowledgement of our teams engineering expertise and highlights the growing international recognition of our products in key global markets,” said Gabriel Massey, president and managing director of Pipistrel. “This validation not only strengthens our position in the Canadian market, but also significantly enhances flight training capabilities across the country.”

The Pipistrel Velis Electro offers a lower-cost and zero emissions platform for pilots. The aircraft’s low-noise profile, producing noise levels of only 60 decibels, and user-friendly avionics, make it an ideal solution for flight training with zero carbon emissions. The aircraft achieved EASA type certification in 2020, UK CAA certification in 2022 and subsequent FAA LSA airworthiness exemption in 2024. Notably, in 2024, the Velis Electro’s electric engine was the first electric engine to receive type certification validation in Canada.

In 2022, Pipistrel delivered its first Velis Electro to Canada, to the Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Aeronautics (WISA) at the University of Waterloo and its partner Waterloo Wellington Flight Centre (WWFC), supporting research and evaluation of battery-powered electric flight.

The Pipistrel Explorer offers superior performance with minimum power required, making it suitable for remote operations in varied temperatures and altitudes. The aircraft is approved for day and night VFR operation, intentional spins and comes with an IFR-ready avionics package. The type certification for the original Explorer model (Virus SW 121) was issued in 2016, and the Pipistrel Explorer (Virus SW 121A) achieved EASA type certification in 2021.