Finavia takes a step closer to introducing electric aircraft to Finland

Finavia, the Finnish airport operator, has announced that it has joined the Network for Electric Aviation (NEA), a unique Nordic initiative dedicated to enhancing the development of electric aviation within the region. 

The Technical Director at Finavia, Henri Hansson, said: “Electric-powered aircraft will likely be a vital part of tackling the environmental challenges of the aviation industry. As an airport operator, we want to find out what kind of developments electric flying will require from our airports.”

Finavia has been funding the development of a fully electric aircraft since 2018, which had a successful test flight at Malmi Airport in Helsinki during the summer of 2018. Becoming a partner of the Network for Electric Aviation will contribute to the development of electric flying and is part of Finavia’s climate programme, which aims at reducing CO₂ emissions at its airports. 

Hansson continues: “I believe that, in Finland, the first electric passenger aircraft will fly on a domestic route by the end of the 2020s. If a clean method, such as wind or solar power, is used to produce the necessary electricity, the electric aircraft of the future could fly completely emission free. Electric aircraft will be suited especially for short routes.”

The Network for Electric Aviation is an initiative where Nordic actors come together to accelerate the introduction of electric aviation in the Nordic countries, consisting of airport operators, airlines and start-ups specialising in electric aviation. Its work is funded by Nordic Innovation, an organisation under the Nordic Council of Ministers.

Maria Fiskerud, Project Manager for the Network for Electric Aviation, said: “NEA is a Nordic network that works with both infrastructure, industry issues and new business models. We aim at highlighting the necessary aspects needed to provide credible roadmap towards Nordic electric aviation.”