North America’s largest seaplane airline, Harbour Air, has reached an agreement with aviation propulsion innovators magniX to purchase 50 magni650 electric engines.
Harbour Air and magniX confirmed on April 22, 2024, that the two companies had signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) for the engines after collaborating closely with each other over the past few years.
The new electric propulsion units (EPUs) will be used to power Harbour Air’s entire fleet, beginning with the De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver in 2026.
“We are excited to accelerate the adoption of electric aviation technology and further our journey towards a sustainable future,” Bert van der Stege, CEO of Harbour Air, said. “The agreement with magniX underscores our commitment to revolutionize commercial aviation with electric propulsion and to pave the way for cleaner, quieter, and more efficient air travel.”
MagniX will support the Transport Canada validation of its magni650 type certificate and assist in the certification work required for Harbour Air to obtain Canadian and American Supplemental Type Certificates (STCs) for installing the magni650 on the DHC-2 Beaver, with an option to extend their support to other aircraft platforms.
‘Electric age of aviation is here’
In December 2019, the two companies made history when the eBeaver, a Harbour Air De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver retrofitted with a magniX electric engine, became the world’s first fully electric commercial aircraft to take flight.
To date, the prototype eBeaver has flown 78 flights in preparation for the certification of the aircraft.
“Electrifying Harbour Air’s fleet and future customers with magniX’s engines sets us on a course to define the future of regional flight,” Riona Armesmith, Chief Technology Officer of magniX, said. “The many flights that the eBeaver has now completed with magniX’s technology are a signal that the electric age of aviation is here and bringing it to the marketplace is growing rapidly closer.”
