Plana and Hi-Air announce deal for 30 aircraft

Plana has signed off on a deal with South Korean commercial air carrier, Hi-Air to supply 30 aircraft.

The agreement includes a letter of intent (LoI) focusing on the aircraft order and a memorandum of understanding (MoU) which will see the firms explore joint business models for cargo and passenger services. 

“We are excited to partner with Hi-Air, a leading small-scale air operator in South Korea,” said Jinmo Lee (pictured left), chief policy officer, Plana. “This partnership will help us to strengthen our position in the AAM market and contribute to the development of the South Korean air mobility industry.”

Plana will supply its hybrid-electric aircraft, CP-01, to Hi-Air from 2030. The first 10 aircraft will be delivered in 2031, with the remaining 20 to be delivered at a later date.

Hi-Air, founded in 2019, is a small-scale air operator license holder which began operations from Ulsan Airport. Hi-Air currently operates flights to Gimpo, Muan, Suncheon, and Jeju. In 2022, it became the first commercial air carrier in South Korea to reach 500,000 cumulative passengers.

Joseph Kim (pictured right), CEO of Hi-Air, said: “We are confident that this partnership will help us pioneer a new era of air mobility in South Korea. We will combine Plana’s technology and Hi-Air’s expertise to create a new air mobility market.”

Plana also has LOIs with Ghenus Air in the US and Japanese firm SkyTaxi, to supply 20 and 50 aircraft respectively.