India’s Mehair Inks LOI for 50 Mallard ME-1A Amphibious Aircraft

India’s Maritime Energy Heli Air Services Pvt Ltd, known as Mehair (Mumbai International), has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Mallard Aircraft at the 2024 Farnborough International Airshow to acquire fifty ME-1A amphibious aircraft. This marks the dormant carrier’s third significant order within the past twelve months.

The ME-1A, currently under development, will offer the flexibility to land and take off from both land and water. It boasts a range of 650 kilometers when fully loaded with 19 passengers and can extend to over 1,800 kilometers with 10 passengers, including standard airline reserves. Mallard’s co-founder and COO, Mohan Chunduri, indicated that the Maine-based manufacturer aims to start deliveries by late 2027 or early 2028.

“Mehair is at the forefront of launching modern seaplane services in India and is moving rapidly towards a pan-India seaplane presence,” stated Chunduri. “We are happy to collaborate with Mehair with our ME-1A nineteen-passenger hull-based amphibious aircraft to support the growth of seaplanes in India.”

This LOI with Mallard complements Mehair’s recent flurry of aircraft acquisitions. In July 2023, Mehair ordered fifty PHA-ZA 100s from Swiss manufacturer Jekta, with deliveries slated to begin in 2029, paying deposits for the first ten. In February, Mehair ordered 100 VTOL Sirius Millennium Jets from Swiss start-up Sirius Aviation in a deal worth USD 400 million, including 50 options. However, it is unclear if any deposits were made at that time. Furthermore, in January 2024, Mehair placed a tentative order for up to twenty ZA600 hydrogen engines from ZeroAvia to convert its fleet of Cessna 208s into zero-emission aircraft.

Founded in 2011, Mehair suspended flight operations in 2019, with the pandemic delaying its planned restart. Earlier this year, Executive Director Siddharth Verma indicated that the restart was progressing well, expecting twenty C208s by the end of 2025 before the new aircraft arrive. Mehair plans to operate a mix of conventional and amphibious flights and has recently been awarded routes under the Indian government’s UDAN programme. According to a press statement released this week, Mehair is targeting aggregate revenues of USD 100 million over the next four years.

With this strategic LOI for the ME-1A amphibious aircraft, Mehair is poised to revolutionize seaplane services in India, enhancing connectivity and supporting the growth of the aviation sector in the region.

Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, ch-aviation.com