ZeroAvia Engines Chosen to Propel Surcar Airlines’ Seaplane Startup

Spanish startup Surcar Airlines has selected ZeroAvia’s ZA600 hydrogen-electric engine for its fleet of Twin Otter seaplanes. With the addition of ZeroAvia’s zero-emission engines, Surcar Airlines plans to operate its retrofitted seaplane variant on zero-emission flights in the Canary Islands.

Surcar Airlines will launch its operations using conventionally powered aircraft, later transitioning to the ZeroAvia hydrogen-electric engines. The change will remove in-flight emissions and reduce impacts to climate and air quality.

“The Canaries are a perfect use case for the earliest zero-emission flights, given the opportunity for replacing combustion engines on short island-to-island routes,” said James Peck, Chief Customer Officer, ZeroAvia. “Developing green options for inter-island travel will help further increase the appeal of one of Europe’s most popular holiday destinations.”

ZeroAvia’s ZA600, 600kW engine is on track for certification in the next two to three years. The ZA600 prototype recently completed a programme of 10 test flights on a Dornier 228 aircraft at ZeroAvia’s Kemble, Gloucestershire base.

The zero-emission engine manufacturer has a Memorandum of Understanding with De Havilland of Canada, the Twin Otter type certificate holder.

Speaking about the startup’s engine selection, Gerardo Morales-Hierro, founder and CEO of Surcar Airlines, said: “Millions visit each year to see the incredible natural beauty and world heritage sites here in the Canary Islands. Climate change threatens this and our way of life. Working with ZeroAvia will help us to deliver cleaner flights, while also fostering positive impacts on the local community and the environment.”

Founded in 2022, Surcar Airlines is backed by Canarian and Danish capital, including Danish carrier Nordic Seaplanes. Its aim is to revolutionise aviation in the Canary Islands through the introduction of zero-emission, green sightseeing flight tours. By spearheading the electrification of aviation in the region, the startup aims to inspire other operators towards more sustainable practices, accelerating a wider industry transition to clean, zero-emission aviation.