Mumbai-based Maritime Energy Heli Air Services has signed an agreement with Switzerland-based Jekta for the purchase of 10 electrically powered regional amphibious aircraft PHA-ZE 100, with an option to buy 40 more.
With this agreement, Maritime Energy Heli Air Services (MEHAIR) will be the first customer to receive the aircraft in Asia, with initial deliveries starting in 2029, the seaplane services company said.
The 10 aircraft will be delivered in baseline configuration.
PHA-ZE stands for Passenger Hydro Aircraft Zero Emission. The plane has a range of 150 kilometre and can achieve speed of up to 135 knots. Its batteries can be recharged in 45 minutes. There is an option of using hydrogen fuel cells too.
“India is blessed with a 7,400-km-long coastline and a rich diversity of rivers, lakes, backwaters and dams. We want to be one of the first operators in the world to update its fleet with a zero emissions aircraft to support regional flights between land and water infrastructure,” said Siddharth Verma, director of MEHAIR.
MEHAIR has served destinations across Maharashtra, and Andaman and Nicobar. The company is rescheduling its services in India, starting with Andaman and Nicobar and Goa in 2023 under the government’s UDAN Scheme.
“We aim to drastically reduce per-passenger-per-hour flight costs compared with existing seaplanes. We are exploring the options for redefining single pilot operations in the commercial sector and we are committed to attracting a new workforce into aviation,” says George Alafinov, CEO of Jekta Switzerland.
The PHA-ZE 100 flying boat will be certified to EASA CS-23 and US FAA FAR-23 standards for fixed-wing passenger aircraft.
The manufacturer claims that the plane is optimised to serve coastal and island communities, regional routes currently limited by operational costs and to support new low-cost, sustainable services between cities without the need to install expensive land infrastructure.