Harbour Air to test world’s first electric-battery commercial airplane next month

Retrofit progress in October 2019 of the first Harbour Air ePlane. (Harbour Air) Aviation history is set to be made at Vancouver International Airport (YVR) next month when Harbour Air tests the world’s first fully electric-battery-powered aircraft for commercial use . The aircraft in use is a retrofitted DHC-2 de Havilland Beaver seaplane, which now has a 750 horsepower all-electric magni500 propulsion system. It is the short-haul seaplane airline’s first aircraft retrofit. Artistic rendering of the first Harbour Air ePlane. (Harbour Air) This prototype aircraft is scheduled to make its first test flight on Wednesday, December 11, but this is dependent on permitting issued by Transport Canada and suitable weather. The test is being conducted at YVR’s South Terminal, where the airport’s seaplane facilities are located. As of yesterday, the seaplane’s batteries have been fully installed, all systems have been connected and tested, power has been turned on to test the turning of the propeller, full power ground tests have been performed, wings have been installed, and flight controls have been rigged. Harbour Air seaplanes at Vancouver Harbour Flight Centre in Coal Harbour in downtown Vancouver. (Shutterstock) Harbour Air announced in March of this year it had partnered with […]

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