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Last weekend, a fully electric cargo plane landed at Ostend-Bruges Airport for the first time. The demonstration flight was part of a series of operational test flights in the Benelux region. The stopover at the NSAC Business Terminal underscores the joint commitment of the Belgian airports of Ostend-Bruges and Antwerp to take an active role in the transition to low-emission aviation.
Regional airports in focus of development
Nathan De Valck, Managing Director of Ostend-Bruges and Antwerp airports, emphasizes the importance of regional airports: “They have the necessary space and operational flexibility to comprehensively test and further develop new technologies such as electric flying.” He sees this development as an opportunity to make the aviation industry more sustainable.
The introduction of electric aviation will lead to a change in regional air traffic in the coming years. The new generation of electric and hybrid aircraft is designed to efficiently connect secondary cities and business centers within a radius of 500 to 1,000 km with low emissions. “Here lie the opportunities for our airports,” De Valck continues. “Our locations are in the economic heart of Western Europe; the Netherlands, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Luxembourg are all easily accessible.”
Focus on critical transport needs
In the initial phase, the airports plan to focus on socially important niches in cargo transport. The emphasis is on the fast and reliable transport of organs as well as the distribution of urgent medications. Additionally, there are opportunities for rapid, small e-commerce and the transport of high-value goods.
De Valck expresses optimism about future developments: “We expect that the technology will be ready for broader implementation within a few years, allowing regular passenger transport and business aviation to start as well.”
The technical specification of the test flight includes the Beta Alia CTOL (CX300) model with a cargo capacity of 560 kg and a range of 500 to 600 km. The cruising speed is 283 km/h.
