First commercial electric plane flight opens new era in aviation

OTTAWA: A Canadian seaplane operator on Tuesday successfully test flew the world’s first all-electric commercial aircraft, in a three minute flight it said had launched a new era of aviation.

Vancouver-based Harbour Air, which claims to be North America’s largest seaplane airline, and Seattle-based all-electric propulsionmaker magniX, tested a 63-yearold DHC-2 de Havilland Beaver retrofitted with a 750-horsepower electric motor on the Fraser River near Richmond, British Columbia.

The yellow e-plane was piloted by Harbour Air CEO and founder Greg McDougall.

“Today, we made history,” McDougall said in a statement.

“In December 1903, the Wright Brothers launched a new era of transportation — the aviation age — with the first flight of a powered aircraft. Today, 116 years later, with the first flight of an all-electric powered commercial aircraft, we launched the electric era of aviation,” said Roei Ganzarski, CEO of magniX. Global aviation is a major source of climate change causing greenhouse gas emissions.

Ganzarski said that in addition zero emissions, e-planes are lowcost and will allow savings on fuel.

Harbour Air plans to electrify its entire fleet of more than 40 aircraft.

But first, the e-plane has to begin a two-year certification and approval process for the propulsion system and the retrofitting of aircraft, the companies said in a statement.

One limitation is that an aircraft like that one flown Tuesday can only fly 100 miles (160 kilometers) on lithium battery power, said Ganzarski.