World's first electric commercial aircraft takes inaugural test in Columbia

Krishtina D'Silva Posted on: 2019-12-11 10:04:18 Viewer: 670 Comments: 0 Country: Canada City:

World's first electric commercial aircraft takes inaugural test in Columbia

Vancouver, British Columbia (Urban Transport News): MagniX, an Australian electric motor manufacturer for electric aircraft which is wholly owned by Singapore investor Clermont Group, has conducted an inaugural test of the world’s first fully-electric commercial aircraft in Vancouver, British Columbia. The aircraft test flight, taking off from the Canadian city of Vancouver and flying for 15 minutes. Roei Ganzarski, CEO of magniX said that the technology would mean significant cost savings for airlines and zero emissions. “This proves that commercial aviation in all-electric form can work.

This signifies the start of the electric aviation age”, said Ganzarski. The magniX designed the aircraft's motor and worked in partnership with Harbour Air, which ferries half a million passengers a year between Vancouver, Whistler ski resort and nearby islands and coastal communities. The aircraft was piloted by Greg McDougall, founder and chief executive of Harbour Air with six-passenger DHC-2 de Havilland Beaver seaplane retrofitted with a 750hp electric motor. “For me, the flight was just like flying a Beaver, but it was a Beaver on electric steroids. I actually had to back off on the power,” said McDougall.

He took the aircraft on a short loop along the Fraser River near Vancouver international airport in front of around 100 onlookers soon after sunrise. The aircraft lasted less than 15 minutes. “Our goal is to actually electrify the entire fleet. On top of fuel efficiency, the company would save millions in maintenance costs because electric motors require “drastically” less upkeep",said McDougall. However, Harbour Air will have to wait at least two years before it can begin electrifying its fleet of more than 40 seaplanes. The aircraft has to be tested further to confirm it is reliable and safe.
 
In addition, the electric motor must be approved and certified by the regulators. Ahead of the maiden flight, Ottawa transport minister Marc Garneau said that he had his fingers crossed that the electric plane will work well. If it does, It could set a trend for more environmentally friendly flying. Battery power is also a challenge for seaplanes.
 
An aircraft like the one flown on Tuesday could fly only about 160km on lithium battery power. “The range now is not where we’d love it to be, but it’s enough to start the revolution,” said Ganzarski, who predicts batteries and electric motors will eventually be developed to power longer flights. Ganzarski further said that cheaper short-haul flights powered by electricity could transform the way people connect and where they work. If people are willing to drive an hour to work, why not fly 15 minutes to work?




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