The ElectricAir plane is on approach before landing at Wellington Airport in Wellington, New Zealand, Monday, Nov. 1, 2021. Seeking to highlight the potential for green aviation as a pivotal climate change conference opened in Glasgow, New Zealand pilot Gary Freedman made the first-ever flight over Cook Strait in an electric plane. (Mark Mitchell/New Zealand Herald via AP)
By Nick Perry
As he made history by becoming the first person to fly across New Zealand's Cook Strait in an electric plane, Gary Freedman thought it only fitting that the first thing he saw when approaching the Wellington coastline was the rotating blade of a wind turbine producing renewable energy.
Freedman's 40-minute solo flight in the small two-seater came 101 years after the first person flew a conventional aircraft over the body of water that separates the South Pacific nation's two main islands.
Monday's flight was aimed at drawing attention to the possibilities of greener flying and timed to coincide with the opening of a pivotal U.N. climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland.
Wellington International Airport officials believe it may be the longest distance flown in an electric plane across any body of water.
“It's a very exciting day for the airport. A world-record-setting day," said spokesperson Jenna Raeburn.
Freedman said the day began badly with pouring rain at his departure point near the town of Blenheim. After delaying the flight for 15 minutes, the weather cleared just enough for takeoff and soon improved to sunny conditions over the ocean.
Freedman said he was ecstatic when he landed, and the technology worked better than he'd hoped.
“We still had 40% left in the battery,” he said. “We could have almost flown back again.”
Freedman, 49, who founded the company ElectricAir, said he's long been passionate about the environment and the idea came as he thought about the incongruity of driving an electric car and flying a gas-powered plane.
He took a trip to Slovenia to buy a Pipistrel Alpha Electro plane, and then jumped through various hoops with New Zealand aviation regulators to get the plane cleared.
It weighs less than 400 kilograms (880 pounds) and is much quieter than a traditional aircraft. For the 78 kilometer (48 mile) trip, Freedman flew it at just 1,000 feet (305 meters) above sea level and at the relatively slow speed of 130 kilometers per hour (81 mph) in order to preserve its charge.
Freedman said it takes about one hour to fully charge the plane. The maximum flight time is also about an hour, and he mainly uses it for pilot training.
Wellington International Airport is preparing for regular short-hop flights of new 12-seater electric planes that will begin in about five years' time, said Raeburn, the airport spokeswoman.
She said electric technology is not yet advanced enough to power large passenger planes, but biofuels and hydrogen will likely provide greener alternatives in the future.
The workforce is incredibly different from what it was just two years ago. Ginnie Carlier, Vice Chair of Talent at EY Americas, joins Cheddar News to discuss the evolving role of the employer, and ways leaders can increase job satisfaction in this current environment.
As we celebrate Black History Month, Cheddar is highlighting prominent Black Americans who are carving their own historic paths and trailblazing in their fields. Today we feature rap icon and entrepreneur, Jay-Z.
Cann, a cannabis-infused beverage company, announced today a $27 million Series A funding round from existing investors like Imaginary Ventures and a roster of new celebrity investors including Nina Dobrev, Adam Devine, Zoey Deutch, Jordan Cooper, Sara Foster, and Rosario Dawson. Cann is also announcing its first international expansion with the brand's launch in Canada. Jake Bullock, co-founder and CEO of Cann, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Soul Machines is a company that creates autonomously animated digital people in the metaverse and the digital worlds of today. The startup based in New Zealand recently raised the equivalent of $70 million USD, in a funding round led by Softbank's Vision Fund 2. Soul Machines says it helps to bring digital workforces to life for some of the biggest brands in the world, and creates digital twins of celebrities to reimagine the future of digital entertainment. Greg Cross, co-founder and CBO of Soul Machines, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
One in eight men in the U.S. will have prostate cancer during their lifetime, and the disease is almost 73% higher in black men than white men. The sixth annual Blue Jacket Fashion Show benefited non-profit advocacy group 'Zero - The End of Prostate Cancer' and its efforts to raise awareness and funding to support prostate cancer patients. Reginald Tucker-Seeley, vice president of health equity at Zero, joined Cheddar News to discuss.
The end of 3G is upon us. On Tuesday, AT&T became the first major provider to disable its 3G services, and T-Mobile and Verizon plan to follow suit later this year. The shutdowns are expected to impact millions of vehicles that use 3G networks for updates, remote connection, and certain emergency and convenience features. Lance Ulanoff, the U.S. Editor-in-Chief of TechRadar, joined Cheddar's Closing Bell to discuss the ramifications of the changeover.
Sunshine Foss, co-founder of Happy Cork, joins Cheddar News to discuss her Brooklyn business providing black-owned liquor brands a space in the community.
