The Société Wallone des Aéroports (SOWAER) has appointed a new manager for Cerfontaine airfield, located in the province of Namur. The new manager aims to make the site more environmentally friendly, in part by using an electric aircraft for the skydiving school operating there.

However, it’s not that simple: Fully electric aircraft specifically designed for skydiving do not yet exist in a commercial, operational form, although they are currently under development.

Patience

To make the site more environmentally friendly, Paul Marien, one of the new managers, wants to focus on solar panels, organizing e-bike tours from the about 60 hectares airfield, ultralight flights, or a skydive combined with a night’s stay at a hotel near the Eau d’Heire lakes.

Marien, who is also the head of the skydiving club, would like to see such skydives conducted using an electric aircraft in the future. “We are in contact with a Norwegian company that converts thermal aircraft into e-aircraft,” Marien told broadcaster RTBF.

The catch is: the technology won’t be ready until 2027, and it won’t be cheap – the plane and the battery system together will cost several million euros.

Battery issue

E-aircraft have already been developed that, in principle, would be suitable for skydiving. The best-known example is the eCaravan from the American Australian MagniX and AeroTEC, a converted Cessna 208 Caravan with a fully electric drive.

And sure, that the aircraft was fuel-efficient. The eCaravan used less than $6 worth of electricity for a 30-minute test flight, compared to $300 to $400 in fuel for a conventional engine.

But there were major limitations. The batteries took up a lot of space. They added significant weight – often still a classic problem for vehicle batteries –meaning the eCaravan could carry only four to five passengers, instead of a maximum of 14, over 160 km. This was one of the reasons why AeroTEC reverted the aircraft to its original combustion engine.

For skydiving, these battery issues are particularly problematic. A skydiving aircraft must climb to an altitude of 3,000 to 4,000 meters several times a day, which consumes significant energy and requires fast charging.

In other words, A ‘jump run’ usually lasts only 15 to 20 minutes, allowing most skydiving planes to make three to four loads per hour. If a plane must spend an hour on the charger after every jump, the business model isn’t viable.

Furthermore, many small airports do not yet have the expensive high-voltage power connections required for megawatt charging.

Less noise pollution

Still, the technology could also spark a minor revolution in how airfields operate. The biggest obstacle for many drop zones today is noise pollution. Residents often complain about the constant roar of aircraft taking off.

E-aircraft are up to 75% quieter during climb. This means that drop zones can fly more frequently and for longer periods without jeopardizing local permits.

It’s also more pleasant for the jumpers themselves. Depending on the crosswind and the position of the door, you no longer must stand in the exhaust fumes of a roaring turboprop while waiting on the step to jump.

Dovetail Electric Aviation

The skydiving club in Cerfontaine will, therefore, have to wait a while longer. There are pilot projects, but the fleet still consists almost entirely of kerosene-guzzling turboprop aircraft. Hybrid-electric versions are likely the fastest option for this application.

Although…  Dovetail Electric Aviation, a pioneer in converting existing aircraft to electric propulsion, and Skydive Voss, Norway’s leading skydiving operator, have signed a partnership agreement to convert multiple Cessna Caravan 208s into e-aircraft. They will also jointly explore converting other smaller skydiving aircraft, such as the Cessna 182 and 206.

The first test flights could take place this year. Dovetail estimates that the range of the electrified Cessna 208 will exceed 100 km, with a top speed of approximately 300 km/h and a payload capacity of up to 950 kg.