Yakima, 5 Other WA Airports Push Charging Projects to Electric Planes

Widespread use of electric air liners is few and far between, but six WA airports want to get a 'jump' on what they forsee as the future of air travel.

  Yakima among airports seeking or launching E plane charging projects

About two years ago, we reported on the testing of what is believed to be the world's first significant attempt to build and market an electric or battery-powered airliner. Eviation is the company, and they tested one of their models at the Moses Lake WA airfield. The test was successful.

Now, six WA airfields are looking to install at least one charging station that would service such aircraft.

According to the WA State Standard, the ariports are Yakima, Friday Harbor, Port Angeles, Everett's Paine Field, Chehalis-Centralia and Boeing Field.

According to the Standard:

"The six public airports that threw in together on a federal grant application for airside charging infrastructure are Chehalis-Centralia, Yakima, Friday Harbor, Port Angeles, Everett’s Paine Field and Boeing Field in Seattle. Chehalis-Centralia took the lead on the nearly $10 million funding request, which would pay for one or two charging stations per airport."

While the grants are being applied for, and other kinds of Federal funding are being allocated toward these projects, it remains to be seen if battery-powered aircraft will be cleared for official commercial use, and if these kind of aircraft are 'accepted' by the airline industry.

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Eviation says two smaller east-coast commuter airlines have placed orders for these small planes, named Alice, in two variations. One can carry mostly passengers (9) or the cargo version which would accomodate 1.5 tons. According to data from the initial test flights two years ago, their maximum range would be just under 300 miles.

These aircraft, given current technology, would only be used as short-distance commuter haulers. According to The Standard:

"Weight and space are at a premium in an airplane, a reason why airline executives are cautious of battery power. Jet fuel has much greater energy density than current lithium-ion batteries. Consequently, more money is flowing toward biofuels and synthetic jet fuel – known in industry-speak as sustainable aviation fuel or SAF for short. Green hydrogen has vocal champions too as a long-term answer for aviation fueling."