Indian operator selects new ZeroAvia engines to retrofit on Cessna small aircraft to achieve zero-emissions flights
ZeroAvia today announced that MEHAIR has placed a conditional order for up to 20 ZA600 hydrogen-electric engines. The order adds to the over 2,000 engine pre-orders secured by ZeroAvia.
MEHAIR (Maritime Energy Heli Air Services Pvt Ltd.) has historically offered services across the Indian sub-continent, commencing with the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in 2011. The company now has ambitious plans to grow across a range of sub-regional routes across India with both amphibian and wheeled aircraft.
MEHAIR will explore a range of options for financing the acquisition and retrofit of the engines to its upcoming fleet of 10 Cessna Caravan aircraft , including working with potential leasing partners. The company already has a relationship with MONTE as its preferred ZA600 lessor partner. ZeroAvia and MEHAIR will also work together on establishing the fuel supply for the operator’s services across India.
ZeroAvia plans to certify the ZA600 by the end of 2025 and is already working closely with the UK’s CAA as well as other regulators to ensure harmonisation and rapid certification globally.
India has big aspirations to use hydrogen as a key enabler of its clean energy future, particularly in hard-to-abate sectors like aviation, and to deliver net zero by 2070. A target of reaching 5 million metric tons of hydrogen production per annum has been set for 2030.
Aviation too is growing dramatically across the country, with passenger numbers more than doubling over the last decade and more than 500m passengers per annum predicted by 2030 according to CAPA, India.
James Peck, Chief Customer Officer, ZeroAvia, said: “The rapid increase in demand for flights will be a key driver of economic growth and social and cultural exchange, but clean flight technology will be essential to ensure it does not derail net zero progress. Hydrogen fuel cell propulsion can offer lower operating costs and zero-emission flight, driving a rapid increase in regional aviation and support dramatic expansion of MEHAIR’s operations.”
Siddharth Verma, Managing Director, MEHAIR, said: “Operating under the highly successful UDAN Scheme, Govt of India, amphibian and other small–wheeled aircraft can provide the much needed ‘last-mile’ connectivity by bringing in a seamless network of runways and waterways, all the while offering an exceptional experience for passengers and boosting local economies. Aligning with the Govt’s vision of sustainable aviation, we believe we need to find sustainable ways to power our operations in the future, and we’re excited by what ZeroAvia’s technology offers and the progress demonstrated so far. We hope to spearhead this new revolution in partnership with ZeroAvia and the Government of India.”
ZeroAvia is a leader in zero-emission aviation with the mission of delivering a hydrogen-electric engine in every aircraft as the most environmentally and economically friendly solution for addressing the industry’s climate impact. The company is starting with engines to support a 300-mile range in 9–19 seat aircraft by the end of 2025, and up to 700-mile range in 40–80 seat aircraft by 2027. Founded in California and now with thriving teams also in Everett, WA and the United Kingdom, ZeroAvia has secured experimental certificates to test its engines in three separate testbed aircraft with the FAA and CAA and passed significant flight test milestones. The company has signed a number of key engineering partnerships with major aircraft OEMs and has nearly 2,000 pre-orders for engines from a number of the major global airlines, with future revenue potential over $10bn.
MEHAIR has pioneered the launch of seaplane services in India since 2011 and is set to spread the seaplane footprint pan-India over the next 3 years. The company is also introducing wheeled aircraft as part of its netwok under the UDAN scheme with a firm plan to induct 10 Cessna 208 Aircraft in the next 6 months to connect 54 airports, 5 waterdromes across 11 states and 2 UTs. This service includes seaplanes across various geographies. The company expects to notch up aggregate revenues of US 100M over the next 3 years.
