Aero Electric Aircraft Corp. has entered into an additional collaboration with with Spartan Education Group, which operates Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology and Redstone College.

Spartan will develop a course syllabus for airframe and powerplant (A&P) technicians to receive specialized training on the Sun Flyer. Along with Denver-based Redstone College, which recently joined the Spartan Education Group family of schools, they collectively train over 8% of all newly certified A&P mechanics entering the workforce.

Spartan recently added five aircraft to its total and now holds deposits for 25 of the first Sun Flyers produced. Spartan and AEAC previously signed an agreement to collaboratively develop a complete training system for Sun Flyer.

Peter H. Harris, CEO of Spartan Education Group, said “We have a vested interest in developing a great training system because we will be the first to include Sun Flyers in our fleet. This aligns with our quest to offer the most innovative and effective flight training program in the country.”

Sun Flyer is intended to be the first FAA-certified, U.S.-sponsored, all-electric airplane to serve the flight training and general aviation markets.

AEAC projects the energy, or “fuel,” cost for Sun Flyer is only about $1 of electricity for each hour of flight, compared to $25 to $65 per hour for piston-engine leaded avgas.

The 2-seat proof of concept prototype for the Sun Flyer solar-electric flight is completing final integration and will soon begin power-on tests at its home station at Centennial Airport near Denver.