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11 One of the biggest challenges Harbour Air needs to overcome in the electric race has to do with the battery overheating during its busy daily operations . // HARBOUR AIR
12 The eBeaver , based on a DHC-2 , is painted in a special yellow scheme to promote the project in airshows and aviation fairs like Oshkosh 2024 , held in July .
13 Flexibility has made sea flying the perfect environment for new technology testing , which is crucial for the development of a safe and sustainable aviation industry . // PHOTO : HARBOUR AIR .
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“ The main goal of the project is to develop fully electric technologies , such that they can be certified and adapted to all the platforms , starting by the DHC-2 Beaver ,” Erika explained .
“ The biggest challenge right now is the battery energy density . It ’ s not where we really need it to be to fully commercialize our product , but it ’ s not far off . As well , Harbour Air will want to fly the electric plane eight to 12 times a day doing tours , and we add heat every time we discharge and charge it during flight . So we need to find a way to evacuate that heat .”
MagniX is currently providing Harbour Air with its new MagniX 500 engine , and an upgraded version will soon be available — the 650 . The commercial introduction of the eBeaver is forecast for the end of 2026 ,
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according to the evolution of certifications by Transport Canada , the FAA , and EASA .
While MagniX works to obtain the type certificate for the power plant of the eBeaver , Harbour Air is sticking to its own path to certification . The electric technology certified on the DHC- 2 eBeaver will be progressively transferred onto other airplanes , such as the Turbine Otter , Cessna Grand Caravan , and the larger DHC-6 Twin Otter .
SEAPLANE FLYING IN THE FUTURE
Ovee the decades , sea flying slowly lost its commercial potential to land airports , spurring manufacturers to develop aircraft that take off from and land on concrete and asphalt , instead of calm bodies of water .
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Many projects are on the way to achieve this goal . Apart from Harbour Air ’ s eBeaver , the Spanish startup Surcar Airlines is aiming to push the industry forward by introducing flights powered by hydrogen . It will introduce this innovation to Twin Otters with floats , flying passengers between seaports in the Canary Islands .
This is another reason why sea flying has not disappeared completely . Apart from connecting isolated towns and islands as a time-saving alternative to driving or ferries , this little aviation segment is perfectly placed to test new technologies for the future .
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