Parity
Jerome Buresi
Published July 6, 2026 at 6:16 pm.
“Seeing this plane take off from the ground for the first time means a lot to the whole team,” assures Hugo PeiroPresident of IPS’OLAIRE.
The Association has reached an important milestone with prime volume of which electric and solar experimental aircraftregistered W77-CCF, June 14, 2026 at Coulommier-Voisin Aerodrome (LFPK), Seine-et-Marne.
Hugo Peyraud, originally from Picardy, assigned to Mers-les-Bains, in Sommewhere he worked in the maritime club Glisse Sensation Mers, today he heads the IPS’OLAIRE association.
The IPS’OLAIRE association reaches an important milestone in its history. The company made the first flight of its experimental electric and solar aircraft. ©IPS’OLAIRE
This ambitious project was initiated by IPSA (Polytechnic Institute of Advanced Sciences) students, a group of young engineers who share a common passion for aeronautics and the energy transition.
Founded in 2023, the association unites more than 50 engineering students from Paris and Toulouse. It aims to demonstrate that aeronautics can be part of a sustainable approach through the use of renewable energy as a replacement for fossil fuels.
We have already mentioned this project in Informant, at different stages of its development, in 2024 and 2025. Constructed from a glider, the device has been transformed into an autonomous electric aircraft powered by solar energy, without the use of a tugboat.
“This represented more than two years of work, bringing together a team of students, pilots, industry partners and volunteers,” the association explains. The entire project, from design to flight testing, turned out to be complex. “Without the participation of all those who believed in this initiative, this step would not have been possible.”
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“Flips”
IPS’OLAIRE performs the first flight of its experimental electric and solar aircraft. ©IPS’OLAIRE
Before the first flight, the team conducted a series of ground tests. “The device was subjected to extreme conditions,” explains Hugo Peiro. In addition to being the president of the association, the latter is also a W77-CCF pilot, dual ULM and glider license holder.
The first flight tests allowed the aircraft to make several “flea jumps” with takeoff and landing on the same runway at the Coulommier-Voisin airfield. “Everything went well,” rejoices Hugo Peiro. These tests successfully validated the first stages of flight in real-world conditions, which the team believes is a crucial step.
Hugo Peiro. The latter is not only the president of the association, but also a W77-CCF pilot. ©IPS’OLAIRE
These tests required careful preparation.
It was absolutely incredible to be at the controls of this plane: the takeoff was smooth and the plane was a pleasure to fly. Behind this flight are hundreds of hours of work, doubts, technical problems, but above all, a conviction: the aviation innovations of tomorrow will be created together with younger generations, starting from today.
Hugo Peiro, President of IPS’OLAIRE
The association plans to continue flight testing, optimize the device, integrate solar systems into the aircraft and conduct new experiments. More trials are planned in Alberta on the Somme in July.
At the same time, IPS’OLAIRE places special emphasis on raising public awareness. “This aircraft is mainly intended to be introduced to the general public. We are united by a common goal: to demonstrate that more fuel-efficient, quieter and more sustainable aviation is possible. It’s about moving the lines.”
And why not spark competition and help develop greener aviation.
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