Spanish carriers Air Nostrum and Volotea yesterday confirmed the acquisition of a minority stake in Dante Aeronautical, a developer of regional aircraft and both electric and hybrid aircraft engines. The two operators will thus become its first strategic investors.
Dante is particularly active in the conversion of fossil-fuelled aircraft into electric or hybrid-powered units.
From the new partnership, both Air Nostrum and Volotea (which focus their business on regional air connections) will be able to provide resources for the development of projects that could lead to the commercial introduction of new aircraft to replace part of their current fleets. In this way, they could significantly reduce their operating costs and the greenhouse gas emissions associated with their operations.
The airlines will invest in Dovetail Electric Aviation, an Australian company related to Dante. Both companies have recently begun raising capital for an initial phase of work. They said «at least two additional strategic investors will join» and will be announced shortly.
Dante and Dovetail could achieve certification for the conversion of a Cessna Caravan to electric propulsion by 2025. If the project proceeds as planned, the popular turboprop could also incorporate green hydrogen-based alternatives.
Project to develop electric alternatives
In September last year, Air Nostrum, Volotea and Dante had submitted a proposal to develop all-electric propulsion alternatives. The initiative marked their first joint working agreement to advance the promotion of low-emission regional aviation and provide innovative solutions for the sector.
The plan will focus on the conversion of short- and medium-range commercial aircraft for between nine to nineteen passengers. In addition, they will work on the development of the Dante DAX19 hybrid regional aircraft.
The first test flights of the converted aircraft could take place in 2023. In that case, the developers expect to obtain the required certification in 2024. On the other hand, the consortium said that the DAX19 model could be certified between 2028 and 2030.
See also: Zero emissions: Air New Zealand concludes four partnerships to achieve demonstration flights by 2026
