Type Acceptance Report - Pipistrel...AIRCRAFT DOCUMENTS 3 4. LSA ELIGIBILITY 4 5. MANUFACTURER COMPLIANCE 5 APPENDIX 1 5 APPENDIX 2 5 LSA Acceptance Report Rev.0: 22 December 2020

Aircraft Certification Unit

LSA Acceptance Report TAR 20/ACM/71

PIPISTREL ALPHA ELECTRO 167

LSA Acceptance Report

Rev.0: 22 December 2020 20/ACM/71 – ALPHA Electro 167

TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1

1. NZ ACCEPTANCE APPLICATION 2

2. AIRCRAFT IDENTIFICATION DATA 2

3. AIRCRAFT DOCUMENTS 3

4. LSA ELIGIBILITY 4

5. MANUFACTURER COMPLIANCE 5

APPENDIX 1 5

APPENDIX 2 5



Executive Summary

The report documents the process by which the ALPHA Electro 167 aircraft produced by Pipistrel Vertical Solutions has been accepted for operation in the Special Category-LSA in New Zealand.

The ALPHA Electro 167 is the electric derivative of the original Type 161 ALPHA Trainer conventionally powered ultralight aeroplane, and is a two-seat aircraft of composite construction. It is a high wing monoplane configuration with cantilevered wings and a conventional empennage with T-tail, and has a tricycle landing gear. Seats are side-by-side with full dual flight controls and joint levers for throttle, and flaps control. Access to the cockpit is via two large gull-wing doors. There is no baggage compartment on the aircraft. The aircraft is equipped with a Galaxy Ballistic Rescue System (BRS) which is located in the aft fuselage.

The ALPHA Electro 167 has been certificated by the manufacturer in the Special Category Light-Sport Aircraft (SLSA), based on declaration of compliance with the following industry standard airworthiness requirements:

• ASTM F2245-18 Design and Performance

• ASTM F2840-14 Design and manufacture of EPU for LSA

• ASTM F2506-13 Design and Testing of Light Sport Aircraft Propellers

• ASTM F2316-12 Airframe Emergency Parachute

• ASTM F2483-18 Maintenance and Inspection Procedures

• ASTM F2972-15 Quality Assurance System

• ASTM F3035-13 Production Acceptance Test

Applicability is currently limited to the Models and/or serial numbers detailed in Appendix 1, which are now eligible for the issue of an Airworthiness Certificate in the Special Category-LSA in accordance with CAR §21.201.



1. NZ Acceptance Application

The application for New Zealand LSA acceptance of the Alpha Electro 167 was in the form of an email from Pipistrel, dated 16 November 2020. The first-of-type example was serial number 942 AE 60 registered ZK-EAL.

A more in-depth review than normal was carried out on the Alpha Electro 167 LSA because it is the first electric-powered conventional aircraft (non-sailplane) accepted in New Zealand. This is also in view of the recent accident to the Pipistrel Taurus Electro ZK-GEL (CAA Occurrence 17/7177), which was attributed to an in-flight battery fire.

The aircraft was originally designed with a MTOW of 550 kg. However on import the aircraft empty weight was found to higher than originally estimated by the factory, and the aircraft could not comply with ASTM F2245-15 paragraph 4.2.1. Subsequently the manufacturer increased the MTOW to 560 kg. Substantiation was based on comparison of the loads on the wing between the Alpha Electro 167 and the Virus SW 121, which was type certified under CS-LSA for a MTOW of 600 kg.

2. Aircraft Identification Data

The following data sufficient to identify the aircraft make and model have been provided in accordance CAR §21.201(a)(2):

Design Authority: Pipistrel Vertical Solutions

Manufacturer(s): Pipistrel Italia S.r.l.

Pipistrel d.o.o Ajdovščina

Model: ALPHA Electro 167

Design Definition: Document No.: TD-167-01-10-002 – Pipistrel ALPHA Electro 167 Type design description

MCTOW: 560 kg

Noise Standard: Not Applicable

Engine: PEM 60MVLC

Propeller: Pipistrel FP03-60

The ALPHA Electro 167 is equipped with a Pipistrel PEM 60MVLC electric power unit (EPU) and three-blade fixed-pitch propeller. The EPU is made up of an Emsisopower controller emDrive H300A and an Enstroj Emrax 268 permanent magnet synchronous machine (PMSM). The electric motor has a 60 kW peak power output and is capable of energy recuperation during descent.



The aircraft is equipped with two batteries: one located just behind the firewall and the other just aft of the main cabin bulkhead. The batteries are housed in 2 metal boxes(packs), which contain the battery cells, the Battery Management System (BMS) and communication modules, as well as the power and signal connectors. Each of the battery packs has an independent BMS, which monitors and balances the system’s voltage. The battery system is ventilated and thermally protected.

The EPU is controlled by a colour-display EPSI570 cockpit interface instrument, which indicates the drive mode and certain parameters to the pilot. The most important is the State of Charge (SOC). The POH has a limitation of 40% SOC before flight, and states the SOC should be no less than 30% at landing. This is the means of compliance with CAR §91.305(a) for the Alpha Electro 167. Energy management and mission planning data is provided in the POH Performance section.

3. Aircraft Documents

The following documents relating to the operation of the aircraft have been provided in accordance CAR §21.201(a)(4):

Flight Manual:

Pilots Operating Handbook – Document No: POH-167-00-40-100_A01 (applies to all ALPHA Electro aircraft operated as LSA in New Zealand) CAA accepted as AIR 3972

Maintenance Manual / ICAW:

Aircraft Maintenance Manual – Alpha Electro – AMM-167-00-60-001_B00

Pipistrel FP03-60E Propeller Operator’s manual

Illustrated Parts Catalogue:

IPC is only available via Online Access

Current service Information:

Service Bulletins are available on the web portal

SB-167-00-80-942 – Increase in Maximum Take-Off Weight

Agreement from manufacturer to supply updates of data (Manuals etc):

CAA Form 2171 from Pipistrel Head of Design Organisation dated 17.12.2020

Technical publications access is provided through the web portal at: https://cloud.pipistrel.si/share/index.php/login

https://cloud.pipistrel.si/share/index.php/login



4. LSA Eligibility

Eligibility for operation in the LSA Category per CAR §21.201(a)(11) for imported aircraft has been established as follows:

1. The ALPHA Electro 167 has been designed to the ASTM standards listed in Section 5 below. The ASTM standards have been found as an acceptable means of compliance by CAANZ.

2. Manufacturer’s signed Light Sport Aircraft Statement of Compliance (CAA Form 24021/14) for serial number 942 AE 60 dated 11 September 2020.

3. The manufacturer provided copies of the following LSA design acceptances or airworthiness certificates issued for the aircraft:

• CASA Special Certificate of Airworthiness in the Light Sport Category (S/N 570 AE 60 LSA registered 23-0938)

• USA FAA Special Experimental C of A (S/N 831 AE 60 registered N722KL)

• Canadian Advanced Ultralight Permit to fly (Alpha Electro 167 is listed as an acceptable model on the TCCA website)

• Italian Ultralight Certificate (Registration I-D057)

• FOCA Swiss Permit to Fly (S/N 829 AE 60 registered HB-SYC)

• CAA Norway Experimental C of A – Annex II (S/N 904 AE 60 reg. LN-ELA)

• DGAC France Permit to Fly (S/N 842AE60 registered F-WLAB)

4. The manufacturer provided copies of the following representative design reports substantiating compliance of the aircraft against the ASTM Standards, as follows:

• Means of Compliance (SLSA) dated 03.12.2020 MOC-167-02-10-001_A02

• Structural Test Report – Alpha Electro 167 TR-167-53-00-001

• Structural Substantiation MTOM up to 570 kg SR-167-01-10-001

• Li Battery Installation SR 121-24-32-001

• Preliminary Tests of PB345V105E-A Battery GT 167-24-30-002 • Samsung INR18650-30Q Li-Ion cells and PB345 TR 167-53-00-001

• Battery Functional Hazard Analysis (FHA) FHA 167-01-30-001

• Parachute Attachment TP 121-25-60-001

• Electric Propulsion System FHA FHA 128-01-30-001

• Zonal Safety Analysis Emerg. Parachute System 121-25-60-001

• Virus SW128 Electrical Load analysis EA 128-91-10-001 • ELA – Alpha Trainer Electro LSA/EXP/UL 165-91-10-001

• E-811-268MVLC Measurement Report (EPU) GT 167-72b-00-001



5. Manufacturer Compliance

The manufacturer’s statement of compliance meets the requirements of CAR §21.201(b)(4) as follows:

(i) Quality Assurance System: Production & Acceptance Tests – ASTM F2972-15and ASTM F3035-13

(ii) Identification of Consensus Standards:

Design and Performance – ASTM F2245-18Required Equipment – ASTM F2245-18 Aircraft Operating Instructions – ASTM F2245-18 Maintenance & Inspection – ASTM F2483-18

(iii) Aircraft Conformity – ASTM F2245-18

(iv) Production Acceptance – ASTM F3035-13

(v) Continuing Airworthiness – ASTM F3198-18

Sign off

…………………………………….. ……………………………............... Kavita Vanmari Checked – David Gill – Team Leader Certification Engineer Aircraft Inspection & Registration

Appendix 1

List of Type Accepted Models:

Model: Applicant: CAA Work Request: Date Granted:

ALPHA Electro 167 Pipistrel 20/ACM/71 22 December 2020

Appendix 2

The following documents form attachments to this report:

Three-view drawing ALPHA Electro 167

Statement of Compliance for serial number 942 AE 60 dated 11 September 2020



Figure 1: ALPHA Electro 167 Three View Drawing



Figure 2: ALPHA Electro 167 LSA Statement of Compliance