The Bristow Group Inc, alongside Electra, Avinor, and the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority, has announced both the launch and contract signing of a second international test project for zero- and low-emission aviation.
Building on Norway’s existing international test arena, the project aims to generate operational, regulatory and market knowledge supporting the wider introduction of electric and hybrid‑electric aircraft.
Operating from ultra-short access points; Electra’s hybrid-electric airplane seeks to reduce travel times by flying directly across terrain and waterways that would otherwise cause issues with surface transportation.
Under this new agreement; Electra and Bristow will conduct demonstrations involving Electra’s hybrid-electric aircraft in an effort to examine the possibilities of using novel aircraft operations to transform regional mobility networks.
These demonstrations will focus on several use cases, including the integration of ultra-short operations at xisting short runways, the use of novel access points such as parking lots, drone pads or fields to support unserved or underserved communities, and the ability to feed services into major hub airports without adding congestion, with each demonstration set to provide insight into emissions reductions, novel operational concepts and the overall scalability of regional air mobility services.
Testing within Norway’s regulatory sandbox will also offer regulators practical insight into how these evaluations can be both evaluated and supported. Trials will be carried out in phases, progressing from operations at smaller airports in Northern Norway, to testing from novel or adapted access points, and finally, to operations feeding into a major Norwegian aviation hub.
Norwegian Minister of Transport, Jon-Ivar Nygård said:This project marks a new step in the further development of Norway's international test arena for zero‑ and low‑emission aviation.
The test arena is an important instrument in preparing aviation for new technologies. The government's role is to support this work by providing clear frameworks and long‑term predictability.In a long and sparsely populated country like Norway, where aviation is essential for regional mobility and accessibility, it is particularly important to gain knowledge about how new solutions can be introduced in a safe and responsible manner when the technology is mature.
Whilst exact test locations will be defined during the preparation phase and concluded within approximately six months, the first phase will commence in mid-2027.
