First electric commercial aircraft successfully completes initial trial

In December, Canadian seaplane operator Harbour Air successfully trialled an electric six-passenger DHC-2 de Havilland Beaver seaplane powered by a 750hp (560kW) motor in place of the standard Pratt & Whitney R-985 Wasp Junior.

The company has committed to converting its entire fleet of forty aircraft to electric power, and has joined forces with Seattle-based magniX to develop a suitable motor.

The magni500, which was unveiled at the Paris Air Show in June 2019, is a ‘high power density electric propulsion system that provides a clean and efficient way to power airplanes’.

Click HERE to read the full article by Pilot Magazine