Bye Aerospace eFlyer 2 Completes First Flight from Centennial Airport
Why It MattersThe milestone advances electric propulsion toward practical use in flight training, a segment where battery endurance and recharge times directly shape operating economics.
Bye Aerospace has completed the first flight of its full-scale eFlyer 2 prototype, a two-seat electric aircraft designed for the flight training market. The aircraft flew from Centennial Airport near Denver on September 17, with Chief Test Pilot Elliot Seguin at the controls, about a week after the FAA issued a special airworthiness certificate for the prototype. During the flight, the crew conducted an initial evaluation of handling qualities, aerodynamic characteristics, and aircraft systems, with Seguin saying the eFlyer 2 handled well and validated years of engineering work.
The eFlyer 2 is powered by a 125-kW electric motor and a magniX Samson battery system, which magniX said marked the first use of its Samson300 battery product in an aircraft; the battery delivers up to 800 volts with an energy density of 300 watt-hours per kilogram. Bye Aerospace selected the Samson system for the prototype in 2025 and says the aircraft has more than two hours of mission endurance with a recharge time of less than 30 minutes.
Bye Aerospace is pursuing certification under Part 23, Amendment 64, and plans to market the aircraft primarily for flight training. Skyborne Airline Academy has previously signed for 30 additional aircraft from the eFlyer line. The flight-test program will now gradually expand the aircraft's flight envelope while collecting handling and performance data for certification, though Bye Aerospace has not announced a firm certification or delivery date.
