Jekta and Mehair sign order for 50 aircraft

Jekta has signed an order for 50 of its electric amphibious aircraft with Indian seaplane operator Maritime Energy Heli Air Services Pvt (Mehair).

The deal, which includes despite for ten firm orders and options for 40 more, will see Mehair become the first customer to receive the aircraft in Asia, with deliveries starting in 2029. It is expected that the first 10 aircraft will be delivered in baseline configuration for 19 passengers.

Siddharth Verma, director of Mehair, said: “We know the Jekta team’s heritage for producing efficient amphibious aircraft and made a strategic decision to acquire these aircraft early. We want to be one of the first aviation companies in the world to operate a zero-emissions aircraft to support regional flights between land and water infrastructure.”

“Blessed with a 7,400km long coastline and a rich diversity of rivers, lakes, backwaters and dams, India is readying for the amphibious aircraft revolution. We are one of the fastest-growing aviation sectors and the world’s largest untapped seaplane geography. The PHA-ZE 100 checks all the boxes for meeting this amphibious potential, and we are confident that the affordable airframe will transform the way India travels,” Verma added.

Mehair already operates seaplane services supporting air travel between cities and destinations virtually inaccessible by land infrastructure. Mehair has served destinations across the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, as well as destinations across Maharashtra.

George Alafinov, CEO Jekta Switzerland, said: “Mehair’s proposed operations and future vision exemplify the potential of our airframe to align with the needs of a growing population seeking to travel regionally, whether from water or land. We aim to drastically reduce per-passenger-per-hour flight costs compared with existing seaplanes, we are exploring the options for redefining single pilot operations in the commercial sector, and we are committed to attracting a new workforce into aviation, all of which will support Indian amphibious operations. We know that the Indian government has defined multiple water routes across India and is launching some 100 seaplane routes.”