Air Nostra and Volotea acquire minority stake in Dovetail Electric

Air Nostrum and Volotea have acquired a minority stake in Australia-based Dovetail Electric Aviation.

Air Nostrum, Volotea and Dovetail said the investment demonstrates that airlines are not waiting on regulators and governments to impose restrictions on conventional pollution-based aircraft. Air Nostrum Engineering and Maintenance Operations led the investment on behalf of Air Nostrum.

Dovetail is focused on retrofitting existing combustion aircraft to electric. The agreement starts with an investment in Dante Aeronautical, Dovetail’s sister company in Europe, and a similar investment in Dovetail. The two firms have recently begun raising seed stage capital. At least two additional strategic investors joining the round and will be announced soon.   

Dovetail and Dante said they are “closely working together and are on track to certify an innovative new technique” that will convert a combustion-powered Cessna Caravan to an electric battery-powered aircraft. The aircraft is planned to take flight in 2025, with multiple aircraft types to follow (such as the King Air rendered above), including variations of hydrogen-powered aircraft.