Certification issues delay Harbour Air’s eBeaver debut

26.04.2023 – 16:32 UTC

Harbour Air Seaplanes (YB, Vancouver Coal Harbour) has been forced to delay the debut of passenger flights with its electric-powered DHC-2 “eBeaver” after it became apparent that certification would not be possible until mid-2025.

In an update posted on its website, the seaplane operator explained difficulties existed with “certifying the installation of components into an aircraft where no certification path exists”.

“Fundamentally, the technology has been outpacing the regulators. As such, assumptions were made to continue developing, which can result in a risk of misinterpretations from regulators. One such situation occurred when an assumption was made throughout the industry that an electric engine is equivalent to a reciprocating engine when it comes to system safety analysis and single fault tolerance to a loss of power control (LOPC). However, we have since learned that the regulators will require a system safety analysis for a single electric engine installation to meet the reliability requirements and that it must be single fault tolerant to an LOPC event. Additionally, the regulators will also be issuing a definition of…

Canada’s Air Tindi to trial electric-powered Dash 7 ops

12.05.2022 – 15:09 UTC

Air Tindi (8T, Yellowknife) has partnered with MagniX, NASA (United States of America), and AeroTec to trial electric propulsion on one of its DHC-7-100s starting in 2025.

The Canadian regional specialist will provide the aircraft, AeroTec will be responsible for designing and integrating electric engines into the turboprop, while MagniX will provide the magni650 electric power unit. The partnership is a part of the USD74.3 million NASA contract awarded in 2021 to MagniX to demonstrate the viability of electric propulsion for commercial air transport. The US government hopes to see the first electric aircraft flying commercially by 2035.

The Dash 7 will be outfitted with two original Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 engines and two magniX magni650 electric units.

“We currently fly the Dash 7 with passengers and cargo to remote regions in Canada. Many of these communities are exposed to food insecurity due to high energy prices and a lack of infrastructure. We see this partnership as an opportunity to change this dynamic, and positively impact these regions by reducing…

Brazil’s Flapper eyes electric Cessna 208s by 2024

25.11.2021 – 04:45 UTC

Flapper, a Brazilian on-demand charter broker, has signed an agreement with US-based magniX to acquire up to 20 magni650 electric engines and install them on Cessna (single turboprop) C208 Caravans.

The companies are targeting 2024 for the launch of commercial electric-powered C208 operations in Brazil. Flapper will assist magniX with planning, reviewing, and coordinating all aspects of the certification processes, including providing technical advice and conducting certification flights. The broker said that lower-cost electric aircraft would be able to renew services to some of about 150 airports in Brazil that have lost scheduled connectivity over the last 50 years.

Currently, Flapper uses Cessna 208 turboprops for passenger charters in the state of Sao Paulo, as well as for cargo operations across Latin America. However, the company does not have its own air operator’s certificate and instead charters capacity from various Part 121 and Part 135 operators. Flapper did not respond to ch-aviation’s request for comment on whether it would seek its own AOC ahead of the induction of electric C208s or if they would also be subcontracted…

Canada’s Harbour Air Seaplanes plans Seattle schedules

01.03.2021 – 16:43 UTC

Canada’s Harbour Air Seaplanes (YB, Vancouver Coal Harbour) plans to introduce year-round schedules in June 2021 between Vancouver Coal Harbour and two US seaplane bases in the Seattle area: Seattle Lake Union and Kenmore.

No local traffic will be carried between the two Seattle seaplane bases. Harbour Air plans to up the services to two daily non-stop roundtrips from July until October and scale down to one daily non-stop rotation from November until June of each year.

This is according to an application for a US foreign air carrier permit and an exemption authorising Harbour Air to operate schedules and charters to the US and within the US.

The application was filed jointly by Harbour Air Seaplanes, Whistler Air Services (Whistler), and Salt Spring Air (Ganges Harbor) on February 23, 2021, with the US Department of Air Transportation (DOT). The carriers have applied for Habour Air to ferry persons, property, and mail from points behind Canada, via Canada and intermediate stations to a point/s in the…