Seaplane tech takes off
A flying ferry ride from the bustling metropolis to Coromandel’s sandy shores could be a ‘‘game changer’’ for summer travel in the next few years.
A New Zealand consortium, Ocean Flyer, has signed a $700 million agreement to bring 25 allelectric sea gliders to New Zealand from 2025.
With plans to operate out of Auckland and Wellington to begin with, CEO Shah Aslam said a flight from Auckland to Whitianga is on the cards next for less than the cost of a return taxi to the airport.
Destination Coromandel general manager Hadley Dryden said, if it takes off, it could boost the economy and ease the region’s traffic jam dilemmas over summer.
‘‘We are looking at the potential for a seaglider flight from Auckland Viaduct to Whitianga,’’ Aslam said.
‘‘We know there are issues with transport especially over summer and this service would provide an accessible and feasible way to get there without waiting in traffic.’’
Seagliders are a new form of passenger transport, best be described as a cross between a hydrofoil and a battery-powered seaplane.
They are being designed to carry up to 100 passengers at speeds of up to 540 kilometres-anhour.
The glider floats in the harbour and as it accelerates it rises on foils using the same technology from the America’s Cup. Then it flies out of the water, about 10m above the surface.
While Aslam couldn’t say for certain what it would cost for a flight to Whitianga, he estimates it will be somewhere in the ballpark of $30.
Aslam said they plan to order 10 craft that carry 100 passengers first, and then 15 smaller craft that will be designed to seat 12 passengers.
The first would be delivered in 2025 and Ocean Flyer should have the entire fleet of 25 operating by 2028.
Destination Coromandel general manager Hadley Dryden said a seaglider trip from Auckland to Whitianga could be a ‘‘game changer’’ for the region.
If it takes off, he said it would not only boost tourism in the area, but take the pressure off roading infrastructure over summer.
‘‘We get a lot of people coming to visit and there are certain constraints with volumes of traffic on our road,’’ Dryden said.
‘‘From a visitor perspective this would allow people to experience more time doing things they want to do and less time travelling.’’
Waikato Regional Council local representative Denis Tegg is also on board with the idea.
With the coastal town being about 150 km away from Whitianga, a $30 fare seems feasible, he said.
Within a few years, it could also open up opportunities to have seagliders travelling to other parts of Coromandel.
‘‘There’s obviously some healthy scepticism about it around safety and seabird strikes – that would have to be worked through – but it’s certainly resonating with people.’’