Page 56 - World Airnews Magazine February Edition 2021

NEWS DIGITAL

turning a profit, Ganzarski said. and reduce the carbon footprint, Ganzarski said. For example,
instead of driving from Chehalis to Sea-Tac for a flight to Walla
“We’re not an environmentalist company. The reason we’re Walla, a traveller could take a flight from the Chehalis-Centralia
doing this is because it makes business sense,” Ganzarski said. airport directly to the destination.
Roughly half the cost of operating an airline is related to fuel and magniX, which was founded in 2009, reached a milestone in
engine maintenance, according to data firm OAG. 2019, when the company partnered with Harbour Air, a commer-
Using standard aviation fuel, it costs about (US) $300 to (US) cial seaplane carrier based in Vancouver, British Columbia.
$400 an hour to operate a commuter airplane. By comparison, One of Harbour Air’s seaplanes, a six-passenger, single-engine
the cost to operate an electric plane is about (US) $20 an hour, the DHC-2 de Havilland Beaver, was retrofitted with a 750-horsepower
price of a few lattes, Ganzarski said. magniX motor.
First flight possibly in 2021 On December 10, 2019, the electric-powered seaplane complet-
Fully electric airplanes could begin service in five years or so, ed a short test flight on the Fraser River in British Columbia.
Ganzarski said. Eviation is targeting 2021 for Alice’s first test flights, The event marked the first successful flight of a fully electric,
with testing to take place at Arlington Municipal Airport. If all goes commercial-sized airplane.
as planned, the plane could receive federal certification in 2023,
“If you noticed when that plane taxied out and took off there
Ganzarski said. were no fumes, no exhaust, no smell - zero emissions,” Ganzarski
Scheduled commuter flights between, say, Everett and Pullman said afterward.
aren’t now feasible because of sky-high fuel costs, Ganzarski said. Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers and Everett Mayor
When electric aircraft are all the buzz, expect to see new Cassie Franklin welcomed the electric aerospace developer.
commuter routes established between cities and towns and rural
communities that aren’t currently linked by scheduled, commercial “We are very excited that magniX - a cutting-edge, innovative
flights, Ganzarski said. aerospace company - has chosen to make Snohomish County
their world headquarters,” Somers said in a statement. “We are
COVID-19 has already boosted the “Zoom town” model, in which the centre of the global aerospace industry, and magniX will be
people live in suburbs or rural areas and work remotely. Now working to revolutionize how aircraft are powered.”
imagine electric air travel is added to the mix. Franklin said: “I applaud magniX for its decision to manufacture
More point-to-point direct or charter flights could also free up its revolutionary electric airplane engines in Everett, the world’s
space at larger airports like Seattle-Tacoma International Airport premier aerospace manufacturing city.”Q

NEWS DIGITAL

EGYPTIAN AW149 FLEET GROWS

The most recent shipments took place Leonardo declines to comment.
in late 2020 when a pair of the 8.6t utility Powered by twin GE Aviation CT7
Egypt is quietly building up its fleet of helicopters were shipped to Egypt via engines, the Egyptian air force’s AW149s
Leonardo Helicopters AW149s, having now freighter from Milan Malpensa airport to are configured in an eight-seat layout.
taken delivery of five of an eventual 24 of Alexandria Borg El Arab. Egypt’s inventory of large helicopters
the super-medium-twins from a 2019 order Those two aircraft - serial numbers 49066 includes 23 Westland Sea Kings and 62 Mil
worth €871 million ($1 billion). and 49067 - were sighted performing Mi-8/17s, Cirium data shows.
Leonardo has never commented on any pre-delivery test flights in Egyptian air Since the AW149’s launch in the mid-
aspect of the deal – or indeed acknowl- force livery from Venegono airfield in 2000s, the airframer has struggled to
edged its existence. However, the commit- northern Italy in November. attract customers for the platform. Aside
ment, which also includes eight AW189s, An initial trio of the 8.6t helicopters was from Egypt, its only other order is from the
was disclosed by the Italian government in handed over in September 2020, Cirium Royal Thai Army, which has five examples in
May last year. fleets data records. service. Q

World Airnews | February Extra 2021
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