In the inaugural episode of Women in Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), Chairperson Marilyn Pearson speaks with Stella Filippatos about CAE's journey toward electrifying pilot training aircraft and the broader implications for sustainable aviation.

Stella recounts her path from electrical engineering into aerospace, with experience at Bombardier and CAE, where she now leads CAE’s electric aircraft conversion program. The initiative, announced in 2022, focuses on converting Piper Archer trainers to electric propulsion—an effort driven by CAE’s commitment to becoming carbon neutral, achieved in 2020 through offsets.

Philippatos explains that while electric aircraft currently have limited range, they’re ideal for early pilot training—short “A-to-A” flights involving circuits, touch-and-goes, and familiarization exercises. This not only reduces emissions and noise but also helps prepare pilots for eVTOL and AAM operations, where understanding electric energy systems will be key.