Air Nostrum and Volotea Decided to Invest in Electric Aircrafts

They acquired a minority share in the zero-emission conversion company and its sister company Dovetail Electric Aviation. This partnership will see the development of an all-electric regional aircraft that can be certified by 2024.

This new investment is a continuation of an agreement that was reached in March 2021. Volotea and Air Nostrum applied for a grant of the European Union in the amount of EUR42 million (or $44.5 million) to fund the electric technology development project.

Dovetail, like many others in the early stages of the low-emission regional aircraft market, is focusing on retrofitting old combustion aircraft with electric propulsion. According to Dovetail, the company claims that it can reduce 1M tonnes of carbon dioxide per year after five years of operation (literally), or 2% global regional aviation emission.

The current focus is to convert a Cessna28B Caravan with one turboprop engine into a fully-functional vehicle that can be operated within two years. It will also include an electric battery. Future plans call for larger aircraft and hydrogen-powered propulsion options.

Different regional missions profiles for airline partners

Dovetail Electric Aviation, a joint venture of Dante Aeronautical and Sydney Aviation Holdings, the owner of Sydney Seaplanes is based in Australia. It has formed partnerships with many low-emission experts and other hopeful airlines in order to begin the transition towards decarbonization within a few years. Regional Express (or REX) will provide an aircraft and technical expertise to be used as a testing ground.

Rex is located in Mascot in New South Wales. It is most well-known for operating smaller turboprops such as Saab340s between regional Australian destinations. It also owns seven Boeing 737s that the airline plans to expand to increase its national network.

Dovetail's new investor Air Nostrum, based in Valencia, is operating as an Iberia Regional franchise with a fleet consisting of Bombardier CRJs and ATR 72s. The carrier also ordered 10 Airlander ships from Hybrid Air Vehicles.

Volotea, however, is a budget carrier that operates narrowbody jets. After Volotea's departure from its last Boeing 717, the fleet now consists of Airbus A320 family planes. Although it is more difficult to envision where the fleet would include electric propulsion aircraft with shorter ranges, we all have to start somewhere. It will not be possible for the technology to mature quickly enough for regional aviation.

Source: simpleflying.com