MintAir and Electron aerospace sign LoI on strategic partnership
MintAir and Electron aerospace sign Letter of Intent (LoI) which will see the South Korean operator become an official reseller of the Electron 5.
The battery-electric, fixed wing Electron 5 family includes a 5-seater passenger version, a 4-seater trainer, and a cargo aircraft with a 500 kg payload. In a separate deal, MintAir has ordered 10 Electron 5 aircraft and coveted priority delivery slots in 2027.
Marc-Henry de Jong, COO and co-founder at ELECTRON aerospace, told Revolution.Aero: “At Electron aerospace, we want to work with partners that share our belief in ‘the future of aviation being electric’. MintAir is a driving force behind South Korea’s journey towards zero emission flying. We share an entrepreneurial drive and desire to overcome the challenges to make zero emission, regional air mobility a reality. On a personal note, it just clicked when we started chatting during a coffee break at Revolution.aero 2022 event in San Francisco. Thanks to the Revolution.aero team for supporting start-ups and providing an ‘electric’ space to foster meaningful relationships!”
MintAir plans to operate urban and regional services, using a mixture of eVTOLs as well as eCTOLs. MintAir selected the Electron 5 due to its capability to access short runways as well as its impressive 500 km operating range, which allows MintAir to connect most airports within South Korea. As a reseller, the firm plans to sell the trainer version and passenger version to flight schools and operators in east Asia.
Jongwon “JP” Park, chief strategy officer, MintAir, told Revolution.Aero: “MintAir selected Electron 5 since it is the most energy-efficient battery electric CTOL aircraft that can cover most of Korea with its maximum range of 750km. As stated in the release, MintAir plans to use the aircraft initially for pilot training as well.”
Electron point out their aircraft uses today’s commercially available battery cells, so it is not reliant upon future battery energy density improvements. The company is on track to achieve EASA certification at the end of 2026 and first deliveries are scheduled for early 2027.
Josef Mouris, CEO of Electron aerospace, said: “US-based consultancy Oliver Wyman just updated its forecast, estimating a shortage of 80,000 pilots by 2032. As a former airline pilot, I can confirm that the Electron 5 is ideal for the second stage of commercial pilot training.”
Eugene Choi, CEO of MintAir, added: “At MintAir, we’re excited to bring the Electron 5 to South Korea, allowing us to create zero emission connections as well as offering local flight schools to go green at the same price as buying a comparable fossil fuel aircraft today. Even better: The fully battery-electric propulsion system has the potential to reduce a flight school’s operating costs significantly, making it cheaper to train more pilots.”
