– With these new vessels, I think that many smaller communities will get a completely new form of mobility, says managing director of Widerøe Zero, Andreas Kollbye Aks. He talks about the new eVTOL flight concept. On Friday, the government came up with its new aviation strategy – where they say, among other things, that they want electric aircraft on the short-haul network already in place from next year. Andreas Kollbye Aks is managing director of Widerøe Zero. Photo: Hallvard Norum / news Widerøe’s concept is a bit different. It is an emission-free aircraft, which is a hybrid between an airplane and a helicopter. It takes off and lands in the same way as a helicopter, and according to the company, they are not dependent on much new infrastructure on the ground. – We are talking about a simple landing site, for example on a plain. The aim is that it should be delimited by the infrastructure needed to be able to fly these planes, says Kollbye Aks. It is the world’s third largest aircraft manufacturer, Embraer, which is developing the new vessel that Widerøe now wants to start using. The manufacturer aims for this aircraft to be ready and certified for passenger traffic in 2027. At the start, there will probably be room for four passengers on board, but this may increase to eight over time. Rogaland can be the first out They see themselves laying the first routes to Rogaland. The region will then be the first with such aircraft in the whole of Scandinavia and among the first in the world, according to Widerøe Zeroes’ own analyses. – Many people live in many places in Rogaland. And often the road there is relatively long, takes time and costs a lot of money. This is why we believe this type of mobility solution can be very relevant for a region. Research Widerøe Zero has done together with the manufacturer Eve Air Mobility shows that such vessels can greatly reduce travel time compared to a car. Among other things, you can save 90 minutes in travel time on the stretch between Stavanger and Haugesund, and then only spend around half an hour. Have faith in the project Airport director at Stavanger Airport, Anette Sigmundstad, has full faith that the way we move forward will change. She has faith in the project. – Drones are on their way to full speed. The first ones will be linked to shipping. So the transport of people will probably be longer in the future. But I think I experience it in my time, says Sigmundstad. Airport Director at Stavanger Airport Sola, Anette Sigmundstad. Photo: Mathias Oppedal / news At the Pioner renewable energy conference in 2020, it was announced for the first time that the Stavanger-Bergen route could already become the world’s first electric flight route in 2025. Here too, Widerøe is involved. – Avinor’s role when that technology arrives is that we will be ready with the infrastructure to stimulate all such projects with low and zero emission aviation, she says. More expensive than a normal flight There is no question of flying longer distances, according to Kollbye Aks in Widerøe Zero. – It has a somewhat limited range. So there is not a vessel that can take you directly from Stavanger to Bergen, but there is a vessel that can connect the islands in the vicinity of Stavanger closer to Stavanger. – So if you are at the cabin in Ryfylke, are you going to fly home instead of by boat? – Whether you take a plane or a boat from the cabin, I think it will be a matter of time and what you have with you. But for those who commute daily between the various communities in Rogaland and are limited by time, I think this can be a good alternative in addition to other forms of transport. – Does that sound like an expensive cabin trip? – We imagine that this will come at a price level that may be somewhat above conventional flights today, but far below what one associates with a helicopter. And even if the electricity prices are high, it will still pay to choose all-electric, believes Kollbye Aks. – These systems will in any case be far more energy efficient than what we know of today. So even with high electricity prices, it is very beneficial to use electricity.
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All-electric aircraft can become an alternative to ferries and speedboats – news Rogaland – Local news, TV and radio
