By Hammad Kahlun
Scandinavian news Finland
First Certified Electric Plane to Cross Open Sea
An electric aircraft landed at Vaasa Airport on Finland’s west coast on Tuesday after flying from Umeå, Sweden. According to the Oulu University of Applied Sciences (Oamk), the flight marks the first time a fully certified electric aircraft has crossed areas of open sea.
The crossing was part of the North Circuit tour, a roughly 5,600-kilometre emissions-free journey co-arranged by Oamk.
Tour Route: From Bavaria to the Baltics
The tour began last Tuesday in Bavaria, Germany, before continuing through Sweden and arriving in Vaasa, Finland. After several stops within Finland, the aircraft is scheduled to continue via the Baltic states back to Central Europe.
The Finnish leg of the tour includes the Kuhmo Fly-In event, where members of the public will be able to enter the aircraft.
Demonstrating Electric Flight in Northern Conditions
Oamk stated that the purpose of the tour is to demonstrate that electric flight is feasible over relatively long distances and in variable northern climate conditions.
Pilot Describes Smooth Crossing
The entire tour is being flown by Uwe Nortmann, 77, a test pilot for aircraft manufacturer Elektra Solar.
Nortmann told Finnish broadcaster Yle that the crossing of the Quark Strait between Sweden and Finland went smoothly and faster than expected.
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