An experimental project operating out of Enontekiö Airport in the northwest corner of Finland is set to test the viability of using electric airplanes to fly routes across the wider Lapland region, Eye on the Arctic reports.

“Lapland’s internal air traffic is designed so that it can be operated by electric aircraft. The location of Enontekiö is central, the longest flight distance from here is about 300 kilometres, and the range of an electric plane is good enough for that,” said Enontekiö Airport CEO Marko Halla.

A route from Rovaniemi to Tromsø in Norway, via Enontekiö, will be trialled during the autumn. The journey takes about eight hours by car, but only one hour by plane – including stopovers. Initially, a 19-seater propeller turbine aircraft will fly the route.

Authorities in both Sweden and Norway have previously announced that domestic flights will be fossil-free within a decade. Finland has not yet made any such commitment.