Latin American private charter provider Flapper plans to convert up to 20 of the Cessna Grand Caravan aircraft used in its on-demand network to electric power. In a deal announced November 15, the Brazil-based company will purchase up to 20 of MagniX’s magni650 electric propulsion units and have the converted single-engine turboprop aircraft in service in 2024.
Flapper currently uses Caravans for passenger flights within São Paulo state and also for cargo operations in other parts of Latin America. The company says that MagniX’s eCaravan conversion package will reduce carbon emissions and noise, as well as cutting costs in a way that will support the business case for multiple new and relaunched routes. While more than 260 Brazilian airports had scheduled services in the 1960s, only around 110 do today, Flapper added.
MagniX, which is in the process of securing a supplemental type certificate (STC) for the eCaravan conversion, will have Flapper’s support in the approval process for Brazil and other Latin American countries. “Through the electrification of the Caravans, we are not only providing cleaner transportation but opening up access to airports no longer in use due to noise from traditional aircraft,” commented MagniX CEO Roei Ganzarski. “Together our companies are ushering in the new age of electric flight across one of the world’s most populated regions.”
Flapper, which has been in business since 2016, provides flights through a network of operators with a combined fleet of more than 800 aircraft. It claims to have more than 270,000 users of its mobile booking app.
