{"id":12081,"date":"2019-03-30T10:35:39","date_gmt":"2019-03-30T17:35:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cafe.foundation\/blog\/?p=12081"},"modified":"2019-04-02T23:19:03","modified_gmt":"2019-04-03T06:19:03","slug":"harbour-air-and-magnix-partner-for-first-all-electric-airline","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/cafe.foundation\/blog\/harbour-air-and-magnix-partner-for-first-all-electric-airline\/","title":{"rendered":"Harbour Air and MagniX Partner for First All-Electric Airline"},"content":{"rendered":"

A seaplane fleet is preparing to convert its fleet to all-electric operation, which will make it the first commercial electric airline.<\/p>\n

Harbour Air<\/a>, a seaplane operator based in Vancouver, B. C. is partnering with MagniX, an Australian electric motor manufacturer with offices in Seattle, Washington.\u00a0 You may see Harbour\u2019s DeHavilland Beavers, Otters and Twin Otters lifting off from or landing on \u00a0Lake Union when you drive by on the I-5.<\/p>\n

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A Harbour Air Beaver with the “traditional” R-985 engine on its snub nose. There are 10 of these classic craft in Harbour Air’s inventory<\/p><\/div>\n

Harbour Air flies \u201cmore than 30 seaplanes\u201d on 12 routes that carry more than a half-million passengers on 30,000 commercial flights a year.\u00a0 The smallest craft they fly, the DHC-2 Beaver, carries six and burns about 20 gallons per hour of 100 low lead fuel \u2013 which now costs from just under $5.00 to over $7.00 in the Seattle region.\u00a0 Obviously, fuel costs and maintenance on an engine (on the Beaver) that has not been built since 1953 must be of concern to operators.<\/p>\n

MagniX is Zero Emissions<\/strong><\/h4>\n

MagniX CEO Roei Ganzarski hopes to conduct flight tests of an electric Beaver later this year, which would put Harbour Air ahead of Boeing\u2019s Zunum electric airliner.\u00a0 In fairness, Zunum is designing and building a \u201cclean sheet\u201d aircraft and hybrid power system. Harbour Air has existing airframes, some of which \u00a0have already been converted to turbine power \u2013 a configuration that emulates what the same airplanes will look like with electric motors in the nose.<\/p>\n

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Twin Otter with turbine engine and long nose typical with these lighter engines<\/p><\/div>\n

The Pratt & Whitney R-985 (985 cubic inch displacement) engine was designed only two years after Lindbergh made his flight from New York to Paris, and was used on several single- and twin-engine aircraft of\u00a0 the 1930\u2019s and \u201840\u2019s.\u00a0 Over 39,000 were built, so there is a reasonable inventory of these reliable power plants.\u00a0 Many have been replaced by modern turbines such as the PT-6, which ups horsepower from 450 to 720.\u00a0 None of Harbour Air\u2019s 10 Beavers have been converted, though, and will now take the leap to the next wave – electric technology.<\/p>\n

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MagniX 500 motor being tested on nose of Cessna Caravan. Harbour Air has one in its fleet<\/p><\/div>\n

MagniX motors are an interesting open-frame unit that combines light weight with extreme power \u2013 750 hp in the motors destined for Harbour Air.\u00a0 Since they weight 120 kilograms or 265 pounds, they weigh 375 pounds\u00a0 (170 kilograms) less than the R-985 while putting out 300 more horsepower.\u00a0 eBeavers should provide great performance, especially since short routes will allow smaller battery packs.<\/p>\n