VINCI Airports major partner of the Elektro Tour, 1st tour in a certified electric plane between France and England

• First-ever crossing of the English Channel in a 100% electric, certified aircraft : the Pipistrel Velis Electricity ;
• VINCI Airports hosts 9 stages of the tour on its network including Lyon Bron and London Gatwick.

The first crossing of the Channel in a 100% electric certified aircraft launched from Lyon-Bron airport this Tuesday, July 1st, before reaching London Gatwick on July 8th, for a final arrival of the tour in Annecy on July 25th.

The participation of 9 airports in the VINCI Airports network in the Elektro Tour (Lyon-Bron, London Gatwick, Rennes Bretagne, Saint-Nazaire Montoir, Nantes Atlantique, Clermont-Ferrand Auvergne, Grenoble Alpes Isère, Chambéry Savoie Mont Blanc and Annecy Haute-Savoie Mont-Blanc) is perfectly in line with VINCI Airports’ environmental ambition.

This ambition places a significant emphasis on the decarbonization of air transport, alongside the objectives of preserving natural environments and developing the circular economy. VINCI Airports is taking action, on the one hand, to decarbonize its airports’ own activities (scopes 1 & 2) – already more than 50% reduction in emissions since 2018 and a new objective of reducing them by two-thirds before 2030 – and on the other hand, to contribute to reducing emissions from the airport ecosystem (scope 3), in particular by working to accelerate the advent of decarbonized aircraft. In this context, VINCI Airports supports electric aviation and promotes its deployment within its airport network.

The Elektro Tour will take place onboard a Pipistrel Velis Electro, a certified 100% electric aircraft. Designed for flying clubs and flight schools, this aircraft paves the way for the decarbonization of the general aviation fleet.

This project is led by a crew of young aeronautics enthusiasts, aged 17 to 23, who share a common vision: to promote innovative and sustainable aviation.