First FAA-certified electric aircraft arrives at Santa Monica Airport

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (KABC) -- It's a new era of aviation.

The Santa Monica Airport is now home to the Pipistrel Velis Electro, the first electric aircraft certified by the Federal Aviation Administration.

"Aviation, for the last 100 years, has not been considered eco because there's oil and gas," said Eco-Aviation President Scott Burgess. "That's going away."

If you're used to hearing that roar of the engine every time you travel, that could soon be a thing of the past. The quiet, zero-emission aircraft is the first of its kind and represents a new chapter in the future of transportation.

"A product like this allows us to be good neighbors to residents near airfields," said Textron eAviation Vice President of Global Sales Tricia Steel.

This means a future with less air and noise pollution.

"As more and more airplanes become electric, zero-emission, the carbon footprint will be reduced," said Burgess. "But just remember aviation is only 2% of the carbon footprint, so we're doing our part."

The low operating costs make it ideal for training student pilots, enabling easier access to careers in aviation.

Interested in booking a flying lesson on the Velis Electro? You can find those details here.