Pipistrel Explorer (top) and Velis Club (bottom) © Textron Aviation

Pipistrel secures Colombian type certificates for Explorer, Velis Club and X-Eye

Pipistrel, a Textron Inc. company, has announced that Aerocivil, the Colombian Civil Aviation Authority, has granted type certificates for the currently produced Pipistrel Explorer, the Velis Club, and the X-Eye, the specialised aerial-surveying variant of the 121A Explorer. The approval represents a landmark achievement, as Pipistrel becomes the first organisation to receive Colombian Aeronautical Regulation-Very Light Aircraft (RAC-VLA) type certification from Aerocivil. This marks a major step forward in expanding the company’s reach in South America and strengthening its position in the global light-aircraft market.

The Pipistrel Explorer delivers high performance with minimal power consumption, enabling operations in remote regions and across a wide range of temperatures and altitudes. Certified for day and night visual flight rules (VFR), it is approved for intentional spins and is equipped with an avionics suite that is ready for instrument flight rules (IFR) upgrade. The Explorer, formally known as the Virus SW 121A, previously received European Union Aviation Safety Agency type certification in 2021, establishing its credentials for international deployment.

The Velis Club, derived from the Virus SW 121 platform, is intended primarily for flight-training activities, though its versatility also allows for broader use in general aviation. Designed with reliability, economy, and operational simplicity in mind, it provides operators with a modern training solution tailored to evolving pilot-instruction needs.

The X-Eye, developed for X-Eye AG, extends the capability of the Explorer 121A by integrating advanced mission-specific technologies. Purpose-built for aerial surveying, it offers a selection of payload options suited to specialised remote-sensing tasks. The aircraft has been engineered to support detailed mapping, 3D terrain modelling, pipeline and infrastructure inspection, and various environmental-monitoring applications. With this type certification, Pipistrel reinforces its commitment to providing flexible, high-performance platforms for both civil aviation and special-mission operators.

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