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Seaplanes to ePlanes: A project update

Our incredible maintenance team along with our partners at magniX have created dedicated space in our aircraft hangar and have been working diligently to make this a success since announcing our partnership this past spring.

25 Oct, 2019 | 5 min read

We are thrilled to share the completion of significant project milestones in the conversion of the world’s first seaplane to ePlane!

ePlane motor mount and motor installed with new four blade propeller
 
Our incredible maintenance team along with our partners at magniX have created dedicated space in our aircraft hangar and have been working diligently to make this a success since announcing our partnership this past spring.
 
With the delivery and successful installation of the magniX motor, we are working hard to connect the internal systems in preparation for its first flight. With incredible work being completed each day and a number of integral components being delivered over the next few weeks, we are in the midst of some of the most exciting and critical development work. Currently, we are on track for the first test flight to take place before the end of the year. By mid-November, we expect to have a concrete time-frame to test the first fully electric flight.
 

Fresh – electric – paint job complete!
 

As of October 23, 2019, the following work has been completed:

  • Aircraft painted and decals applied

  • Motor mount received and installed

  • Ground charging station arrived and wired in

  • Battery mounts fabricated and installed

  • Cockpit reconfigured and modified

  • Aircraft installed on floats

  • Motor arrived and installed

  • Inverters arrived and installed

  • Inverter cooling system developed and installed

  • magniX team arrived on site to work with Harbour Air team

  • Wiring harnesses being built

  • Inverters and motor calibrated

  • Software development being completed on site

  • First battery string arrived

  • Worked through regulatory requirements to achieve first test flight

  • magniX test equipment installed

  • 28V system install completed and checked

 

Next steps:

  • Receive final battery strings

  • Receive and install BMU (Battery Management Unit)

  • Put power on and begin testing

  • Continue to develop and connect wiring harnesse

Read more about our ePlane project in the media:

Electric seaplanes could be this Canadian airline’s ticket to ditching fossil fuels
Popular Science
April 22, 2019

Harbour Air and the Future of Flying Electric
Douglas Magazine
July 30, 2019

In Our Backyard – Climate Change (coverage begins at 52:20)
CBC News: The National
August 13, 2019

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