Electric Light Aircraft Course
Online course of 300 hours in light electric aircraft, in 6 modules covering light electric aircraft, aeronautical batteries and energy management, design and aerodynamics, certification and airworthiness (CS-23, SC E-19, Regulation (EU) 2018/1139), and operation and maintenance, with an assigned technical tutor.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Describe electric and hybrid propulsion architectures in light aircraft.
Size aeronautical batteries taking account of reserves and safety.
Apply aerodynamic and performance criteria to electric aircraft.
Interpret EASA certification requirements for electric propulsion.
Plan the operation and maintenance of electric aircraft.
Evaluate the hourly cost and environmental impact of electric aviation.
Develop the preliminary design of a light electric aircraft.
Who it's for
- Aeronautical engineers working on electric propulsion.
- Certification engineers.
- Aircraft maintenance technicians.
- Preliminary design engineers.
- Flight school managers.
- Battery systems engineers.
- Engineering or science graduates looking to enter general aviation.
What you'll work with
- CS-23 (certification specifications for normal-category aeroplanes)
- Special Condition SC E-19 (electric and hybrid propulsion systems)
- Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 (EASA Basic Regulation)
- CS-22 (certification specifications for sailplanes and powered sailplanes)
- RTCA DO-311A (minimum performance standards for rechargeable lithium battery systems)
- RTCA DO-160G (environmental conditions and test procedures for airborne equipment)
- ASTM F3239 (electric propulsion units for aircraft)
- SAE ARP4761 (safety assessment process for civil aircraft)
- OpenVSP
- XFLR5
- MATLAB/Simulink
- SUAVE
- Ansys Fluent
6 modules
1.1Overview of certified electric aircraft1.2Pure electric and hybrid architectures1.3High power density motors1.4Aeronautical controllers and inverters1.5Propellers and distributed propulsion1.6eVTOL aircraft and urban air mobility1.7Gliders with electric propulsion1.8Mission and range requirements1.9Limitations of specific energy1.10Workshop: Breguet equation adapted to batteries
2.1Cell and pack specific energy2.2Pack design with fire containment2.3Requirements of RTCA DO-311A2.4Thermal management in flight and on the ground2.5Regulatory energy reserves2.6State-of-charge indication in the cockpit2.7Hybridisation with combustion engines2.8Hydrogen fuel cells in light aviation2.9Fast charging at the aerodrome2.10Practical exercise: battery for a flight school circuit
3.1Aerodynamics of distributed propulsion3.2Integration of the powertrain into the airframe3.3Design with constant mass during flight3.4Composite structures3.5Propeller noise and acoustics3.6Wind tunnel testing3.7Take-off, climb and cruise3.8Stability and control3.9Multidisciplinary optimisation of the preliminary design3.10Case study: performance of an electric two-seater
4.1Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 and the role of EASA4.2Certification specifications CS-23 and CS-224.3Special Condition SC E-194.4Special Condition SC-VTOL4.5ASTM F3239 standard for electric propulsion4.6Software to DO-178C and hardware to DO-2544.7Safety assessment to ARP47614.8Environmental testing to DO-1604.9Microlights and national regulations4.10Case study: certification plan for an electric engine
5.1Flight schools with electric aircraft5.2Emergency procedures for loss of power5.3Flight planning with energy margin5.4Battery maintenance and service life5.5Part-ML maintenance programmes5.6Aerodrome electrical infrastructure5.7Cost per flight hour5.8Pilot training and acceptance5.9Environmental and noise impact5.10Case study: hourly cost of a flight school fleet
6.1Mission definition and requirements6.2Battery and motor sizing6.3Preliminary configuration design6.4Performance estimation6.5System safety analysis6.6Certification strategy6.7Operation and maintenance plan6.8Economic assessment of the programme6.9Report and presentation6.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
Delivered 100% online on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, so the programme fits around your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is OpenVSP, XFLR5, MATLAB/Simulink, SUAVE and Ansys Fluent, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Practical work is based on real procedures: energy sizing of flight missions, performance studies of light aircraft and certification planning for propulsion systems. Assessment is continuous, module by module, plus the final project.
Standards covered: CS-23, Special Condition SC E-19, Regulation (EU) 2018/1139, CS-22, RTCA DO-311A, RTCA DO-160G, ASTM F3239, SAE ARP4761.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior qualification is required.
- An internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme software.
- English sufficient to read technical standards.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 300 hours over 3 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with OpenVSP, XFLR5, MATLAB/Simulink, SUAVE and Ansys Fluent, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute certificate, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the final project. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.
Yes. Modules passed are recognised in a higher programme in the same area (postgraduate diploma or master's). Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
No prior qualification is required; you need an internet connection, a computer able to run the programme software and English sufficient to read technical standards.
Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.
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