Harbour Air Seaplanes launched the “world’s first electric commercial aircraft” test flight on Tuesday.
Retrofitted with a 750 horsepower all-electric magni500 propulsion system, the six-passenger DHC-2 Havilland Beaver had a successful test flight at the Harbour Air Seaplane terminal in Richmond, B.C.
The record-breaking flight is the world’s first ever all-electric commercial aircraft lift off.
READ ALSO: VIDEO: Harbour Air gears up for launch of first fully-electric commercial seaplane
The world’s first electric seaplane! https://t.co/YBOIAQJIKP
— Harbour Air Seaplanes (@HarbourAirLtd) December 10, 2019
Today, we made history. Launching the world’s first electric commercial aircraft retrofitted with a 750 horsepower all-electric magni500 propulsion system. Thank you to our amazing maintenance team and our partners at @MagniX for all your efforts! Together, we did it! 👠#ePlane pic.twitter.com/Rhw35BRnqB
— Harbour Air Seaplanes (@HarbourAirLtd) December 10, 2019
In March, Harbour Air announced it would partner with Washington State engineering firm MagniX in its goal of becoming the first-ever all-electric airline.
Harbour Air flies to Vancouver Island, the Lower Mainland Whistler, Seattle and the Sunshine Coast. In 2007 the company became the first North American airline to go carbon-neutral by buying carbon offsets.
With files from Katya Slepian.
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