Mumbai-based seaplane operator Maritime Energy Heli Air Services (MEHAIR) has inked a deal with the Switzerland-based amphibious aircraft manufacturer Jekta, with deposits agreed upon for ten firm orders.
Operating seaplanes since 2011, MEHAIR will be the first customer to receive the aircraft in Asia, with initial deliveries starting in 2029. It has signed an order for 10 PHA-ZE 100 electrically powered regional amphibious aircraft with orders for 40 more. The first ten aircraft are expected to be delivered in baseline configuration for 19 passengers to support regional connectivity.
Siddharth Verma, Director, MEHAIR, said the company wanted to be one of the first aviation companies in the world to operate a zero-emissions aircraft to support regional flights between land and water infrastructure.”
Verma added that India is blessed with a 7,400 km long coastline and a rich diversity of rivers, lakes, backwaters and dams. “India is readying for the amphibious aircraft revolution. We are one of the fastest-growing aviation sectors and the world's largest untapped seaplane geography. The PHA-ZE 100 checks all the boxes for meeting this amphibious potential, and we are confident that the affordable airframe will transform the way India travels.”
George Alafinov, CEO, Jekta Switzerland, said, “MEHAIR’s proposed operations and future vision exemplify the potential of our airframe to align with the needs of a growing population seeking to travel regionally, whether from water or land. 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, all of which will support Indian amphibious operations.”
The company already operates seaplane services supporting air travel between cities and destinations virtually inaccessible by land infrastructure. It is now adding new routes under UDAN regional connectivity scheme.
The electrically-powered, all-composite PHA-ZE 100 amphibious airframe is optimised to serve coastal and island communities and regional routes currently limited by operational costs and to support new low-cost, sustainable services between cities. It will be certified to EASA CS-23 and US FAA FAR-23 standards for fixed-wing passenger aircraft.
The PHA-ZE 100 is powered by ten electric motors supplied with energy from batteries or hydrogen fuel cells; its initial flight endurance on battery power is projected at 60 minutes, with a 30-minute reserve.
The PHA-ZE 100 will be able to operate from coastal waters in waves up to 1.2m high, lakes, waterways, and runways, the latter using its standard retractable wheeled landing gear.