Sydney Seaplanes plans scheduled brand, electric fleet

Sydney Seaplanes (Sydney Kingsford Smith) is seeking regulatory approval to become Australia’s first fully electric, zero-emissions commercial airline by 2025 and plans to begin commercial battery-operated flights by early 2023, according to a report on the company website. This followed a partnership announced in early December between Sydney Seaplanes, electric aircraft engine maker MagniX, and Spain’s Dante Aeronautical, which together planned to spend upwards of AUD5 million Australian dollars (USD3.7 million) in developing the world’s first electric Cessna (single turboprop) Caravan Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) programme over the next two years. Powered by MagniX’s propulsion system, Sydney Seaplanes and Dante Aeronautical would work toward an STC by converting a Cessna (single turboprop) Caravan to be the first all-electric aircraft certified by the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), the company said on its website. Sydney Seaplanes – which according to its website operates Cessna Caravans and DHC-2s from its base at Sydney Harbour’s Rose Bay – also plans to expand its fleet by four aircraft, but did not specify which. “We believe there will be a revolution in aviation and we want to be at the forefront,” said Chief Executive Officer, Aaron Shaw. “This is the way of the future. Combined with our commitment to using solar technology in our charging facilities, this puts us in a very strong position to become the world’s first fully-electric nil-emissions airline, subject to the speed of regulatory approvals,” he said. The company would start working with CASA to secure approval to convert the first of its aircraft, a 12-seater Cessna Caravan. Meanwhile, Sydney Seaplanes also aims to commence scheduled seaplane services under its new Alt Air brand from its Sydney Harbour base to Canberra’s Lake Burley Griffin in September 2021, the company said. If approved, the Canberra flights could in time become battery-operated, which would mean a reduction in noise of as much as 75% compared with existing aviation-fuel powered aircraft, the company said. Canberra’s National Capital Authority gave the green light for Sydney Seaplanes to conduct a demonstration flight on December 15, 2020, to gauge any environmental impacts of a regular seaplane operation to the lake. News reports said the flight departed from Bankstown due to bad weather in Sydney, but landed on schedule near Lotus Bay.