Surf Air Mobility, a regional air mobility platform, and Electra.aero Inc., an aerospace company, say they have joined forces to introduce “affordable, sustainable, and easily accessible regional air travel to a broad customer base” leveraging Electra’s hybrid-electric short takeoff and landing (eSTOL) aircraft on Surf Air’s technology-driven, on-demand air mobility platform, and through Surf Air’s Aircraft-as-a-Service (ACaaS) offering to air operators.
“Surf Air has secured early delivery positions for 90 Electra eSTOL aircraft for integration into the Surf Air national flight network including Southern Airways Express and Mokulele Airlines, as part of Surf Air’s aim to use its platform to support the launch, growth, and optimisation of new electrified aircraft” according to the press release. “The Electra eSTOL aircraft’s ability to take off and land in as little as 150 feet will enable direct-to-destination air transportation beyond large airports, including small regional airports and novel Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) infrastructure, expanding regional transportation to a broader customer base than private aviation currently serves.
“The agreement between Surf Air and Electra highlights several key points of collaboration:
- “Surf Air secures preferred delivery positions on 90 eSTOL aircraft from Electra
- “Surf Air and Electra will collaborate on the development of route networks to be served by Surf Air’s air mobility network leveraging the Electra eSTOL aircraft
- “Surf Air is the preferred lessor and provider of Electra eSTOL aircraft to Surf Air customers under its Aircraft-as-a-Service leasing program
- “Surf Air, its data services partner(s), and Electra will collaborate on the development of predictive analytics systems to reduce overall operating costs and streamline operations.
“Traditionally, smaller regional Part 135 operators have not had the same access to aircraft funding options and software services as larger commercial air carriers. Surf Air’s Aircraft-as-a-Service program is being designed to solve this problem and lower the barrier to entry by providing the necessary financing and software tools to enable a new generation of regional aircraft and air operators to launch, grow, and optimize their businesses.
“In addition to supporting the growth and distribution of innovative sustainable aircraft, such as the Electra eSTOL, Surf Air continues to develop its own electrified powertrain technology for the Cessna Grand Caravan aircraft whose development is supported by an exclusive relationship with Textron Aviation. Surf Air will use its platform to bring the electrified Caravan aircraft to market on a global scale, thus proving what it can do for other aircraft makers as well.”
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(Image: Surf Air)