The contract, the details of which are not disclosed to the general public due to commercial confidentiality, is an important step for further cooperation between the two companies.
The contract specifies that two of the aircraft to be delivered will be powered by aviation fuel, while three will be fully electric.
"We are now actively working to certify the electric aircraft. At the moment we can say that the certification phase will be completed in the middle of next year. When this is done, Latvia will be one of the first countries to use all-electric aircraft," said Jane Wang, sales marketing director of Diamond Aircraft, said.
Once the planes are certified to fly in the EU, they will be under the responsibility of the state agency Civil Aviation Agency (CAA). Its spokesman Aivis Vincevs told LSM.lv that all aircraft, regardless of fuel type, are monitored at the highest level.
"The CAA welcomes the fact that technologies with a lower environmental impact are also actively entering the field of civil aviation. However, monitoring measures, regardless of the type of energy chosen, will be implemented to the extent necessary to ensure the continued high level of safety of civil aviation aircraft," said Vincevs.
The electric Diamond models will be slightly smaller and replace four seats with two to reduce the weight of the aircraft and increase flight time.
"The aircraft will be exactly the same in appearance as the DA40s used at the Academy so far. We currently expect the electric model to be able to fly for just over 70 minutes. Of course, I think that electric planes are our future and they will become more efficient with time. This is something we are proud of, that not only are we keeping up with new technologies, but the Academy is doing it too," said the Sales Director of Diamond aircraft.
For the third time this year, Liepāja Airport is home to the Baltic International Airshow, the largest aviation show in the Baltic States, bringing together not only participants from nine different countries, but also spectators from at least 25 countries around the world. While in other years the airshow has been dominated by aerobatic performances, this year it is clearly dominated by combat aircraft.
"There are so many participants that we cannot say who the favorite of this year's festival is because we are happy for everyone. If I had to single out one, I would highlight the dynamic flight of the Portuguese Air Force with two F-16s, as well as the performance of the German Air Force with two Eurofighter fighters, which are currently stationed at the Lielvārde military base," Artūrs Šlosbergs, the organiser of the airshow, told LSM.lv.
