Skift Take
Harbour Air may not be a household name, but this is a promising development. It flies small planes on short routes and could be an early beneficiary of new battery technology. But remember, regulators have to certify it first.
Some big airlines, such as JetBlue Airways and EasyJet, have suggested electric aircraft may be the future of short-haul aviation. But most carriers are taking a patient approach, noting that battery technology, while promising, is not yet ready for widepsread commercial service.
But a unique Canadian airline said Tuesday it wants to give battery-powered aircraft a try, announcing an agreement with MagniX, a Redmond, Washington-based company developing new propulsion technology. The carrier is Vancouver's Harbour Air, North America's largest seaplane airline, transporting about 500,000 passengers per year, usually on routes shorter than one hour.
Harbour Air is betting it could be the first commercial airline to fly passengers on an all-electric airplane, its CEO, Greg McDougall, said in an interview. Later this year, it plans to convert a six-passenger DHC-2 de Havilland Beaver, adding MagniX's magni500, a 750 horsepower, all-electric motor, capable of flying as long as 30 minutes.
While this seaplane could fly by November, Harbour Air and MagniX expect to spend the next one to three years persuading regulators from the F
