World's first fully electric commercial aircraft makes maiden flight

History was made in the skies above the Canadian city of Vancouver this week when the world's first fully electric commercial aircraft made its maiden flight.

The six-passenger DHC-2 de Havilland Beaver, a retrofitted 62-year-old seaplane, took off from the Harbour Air Seaplanes terminal on the Frazer River, just to the south of the city's international airport. The 15-minute maiden flight was powered by a 750-horsepower magni500 propulsion system, developed by Australian electric motor manufacturer magniX. The plane was piloted by Greg McDougall, CEO and founder of Harbour Air Seaplanes.

McDougall said that his hope is that the aircraft will be the first of an all-electric fleet. Harbour Air, headquartered in Richmond, Canada, operates over 40 aircraft, carrying 500,000 passengers every year, between destinations in British Colombia in Canada's far west, and Washington state, in the northwestern US.

“Today, we made history,” said McDougall. “I am incredibly proud of Harbour Air’s leadership role in re-defining safety and innovation in the aviation and seaplane industry. Canada has long held an iconic role in the history of aviation, and to be part of this incredible world-first milestone is something we can all be really proud of.”

The collaboration between Harbour Air and magniX to develop electric commercial aircraft was first announced earlier this year at the Paris Air Show in June at the unveiling of the magni500 propulsion system.

The Australian electric motor company says that, as well as powering small aircraft like the de Havilland Beaver, the magni500 can also power 'middle mile' aircraft such as Beechcraft King Airs, Cessna Caravans and de Havilland Otters.

The two companies will now begin the certification and approval processes for the propulsion system and the retrofitting process. Once completed, the new technology will be rolled out across the entire Harbour Air fleet.

“The transportation industry and specifically the aviation segment that has been, for the most part, stagnant since the late 1930s, is ripe for a massive disruption,” said Roei Ganzarski, magniX CEO.

“Now we are proving that low-cost, environmentally friendly, commercial electric air travel can be a reality in the very near future.”

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