Amphibians in India
Indian seaplane operator MEHAIR (Maritime Energy Heli Air Services) has ordered 50 ME-1A amphibious aircraft from Mallard Enterprises of Brunswick, Maine in the USA, the company announced at Farnborough today. MEHAIR began seaplane operations in India in 2011 and remains the only seaplane operator in the sub-continent.
The company was an early adopter of sustainable aviation technologies and has embraced the Indian Government’s UDAN initiative, which aims to provide ‘last mile’ connectivity, by providing unparalleled access to new destinations. MEHAIR will re-launch services in India from the fourth quarter of 2024, and aims to establish a pan-India seaplane service in what is claimed to be the fastest growing aviation market in the world.
Siddharth Verma, Managing Director, MEHAIR commented that: “MEHAIR is committed to promote a robust amphibious seaplane industry in India. With the world committed to ‘Net Zero’, MEHAIR remains conscious of its responsibility to contribute towards this objective and has identified Mallard Enterprises as its premier partner for achieving this goal. We are confident that these new generation ME-1A amphibious aircraft of 21st century design will provide reliable, economical, and environmentally sustainable connectivity solutions for our customers.”
The ME-1A is a composite hulled, amphibious, 19 seat regional aircraft, which its manufacturers are promoting as being the world’s “most versatile runway independent aircraft.” It will have a range of more than 350 nautical miles when carrying 19 passengers and luggage, or will be capable of 980 nautical miles when carrying ten passengers in a VIP configuration. The aircraft promises a compelling blend of low emissions, low noise pollution, higher speed, and low operating costs.
Dan Peabody, Mallard Enterprises co-founder and chief executive officer explained: “We’re extremely pleased to be part of MEHAIR’s commitment to the growth of a robust amphibious seaplane industry. The ME-1A, with its competitive economics, amphibious capability, speed, and green credentials, fits very well with MEHAIR’s vision, and we see not only the opportunity to connect many existing regional routes, but also to open many more new ones.”
