Rex has partnered with Australia-based Dovetail Electric Aviation to pioneer the conversion of turbine aircraft to electric zero-emissions propulsion. The partnership will develop and certify the retrofitting of legacy regional and general aviation aircraft.
On Thursday (July 21, 2022), Rex Airlines announced the launch of a new partnership with Dovetail Electric Aviation to pioneer the conversion of turbine powered legacy regional and general aviation aircraft to electric zero-emissions propulsion. Dovetail was formed in 2021 by Sydney Aviation Holdings, owners of Sydney Seaplanes and Dante Aeronautical, a start-up pioneering disruptive electric aviation concepts with a presence in Spain and Australia. The partnership will operate under the Dovetail brand, with Rex providing a testbed aircraft, MRO, technical and engineering support, as well as workforce accommodation and storage facilities.
In Thursday’s announcment, Sydney Aviation Holdings’ CEO, Aaron Shaw, said,
“We are incredibly excited to collaborate with Rex Airlines and Dante Aeronautical on an initiative that promises to put Australia firmly on the map as a global leader in the conversion, certification, and maintenance of electric aircraft. For the first commercial electric flight to occur on such an historically important aviation site as Rose Bay just adds to our enthusiasm for this ground breaking project. Our vision is to lead regional aviation across the world into an exciting, new sustainable era before leveraging the IP, approvals and facilities we establish into larger aircraft and longer flights as improvements in electric propulsion technology enable.”
Also commenting on the new partnership, Rex Airlines’ Deputy Chairman, John Sharp, said,
“Regional airlines operating short sectors as well as seaplanes and training aircraft will be the early adopters of electric battery propulsion. Australia, with its very high utilisation of regional aviation and large number of aircraft capable of conversion, is a perfect incubator for the electric aviation industry. Significantly lower operating costs of electric aircraft will also help to stimulate regional aviation services between communities not currently served by scheduled flights.
“We are delighted to partner with Sydney Seaplanes, Dante Aeronautical and Dovetail Electric Aviation and to lend our aviation and engineering expertise to advance its progress, while also accelerating Rex’s journey to a zero emissions future. Dovetail promises to deliver the holy grail in aviation: true sustainability; lower maintenance and operating costs and also less waste as a function of the reuse of existing aircraft.”
Dante Aeronautical’s Founder, David Doral, added,
“The addressable market is huge. We estimate that in the global small commuter fleet alone there are more than 11,000 nine to nineteen seat aircraft that are currently capable of being retro-fitted which represents a US$15bn market.”
As soon as all the necessary IP and certification approvals are established, Dovetail plans on opening conversion centers in Australia, Europe and Singapore, with the U.S. and Middle East also being considered. Dovetail expects to achieve certification for converted aircraft within four years, compared to 8-10 years for a clean sheet electric aircraft. The Aircraft will be converted using MagniX engines, for which Dovetail is the exclusive distributor in Australia, New Zealand, the South Pacific and Mediterranean Europe. Dovetail will certify the entire propulsion system by integrating the electric motor, battery packs, and hydrogen fuel cells into one drivetrain in the existing airframe. Converted aircraft are expected to deliver a 40 percent operating cost reduction, as well as a 30-40 percent smaller noise footprint compared to the original fossil-fuel powered airplanes.
To date, Dovetail has established customer relationships or memoranda of understanding with Sydney Seaplanes, Alt Air, SeaAir Pacific and FLYM Group in Australia, as well as Volotea, Air Nostrum, Isla Air, Monte in Europe, and Hong Kong Seaplanes.
Rex is Australia’s largest independent regional and domestic airline. The carrier operates a fleet of 61 Saab 340s and six Boeing 737-800NGs, serving 58 destinations throughout all Australian states. The Rex Group also includes wholly-owned subsidiaries Pel-Air Aviation (an airfreight aeromedical and charter operator) as well as two pilot academies, Australia Airline Pilot Academy in Wagga Wagga and Ballarat.
Source: Rex