Harbour Air commits to buying 50 electric engines for seaplane fleet [Video]

Harbour Air is travelling towards a more sustainable future, looking to electrify its fleet of 45 aircraft.

The process began when one of the company’s De Havilland Beaver aircraft took flight five years ago on an electric engine.

“We had our first maiden flight back in 2019,” said Jessica Dunn, head of marketing and public affairs with Harbour Air.

That plane, retrofitted to be 100 per cent electric, flew 72 kilometres from Richmond, B.C., to Victoria. The engine in the plane was produced by MagniX, an electric powertrain company based in Washington state.

“We have continued to work together in partnership and we’ve had 78 successful test flights,” said Dunn.

Harbour Air hopes to have that plane commercially certified by 2026.

Now the company has taken a huge next step in its electrification plan, signing a letter of intent to purchase 50 engines from MagniX. The plan is to begin …