Jaunt Air Mobility and MintAir are partnering up to bring advanced air mobility (AAM) services to South Korea. In a letter of intent announced on August 29, MintAir agreed to purchase up to 40 of Jaunt’s Journey eVTOL aircraft. The company will also serve as Jaunt’s exclusive AAM partner in the Asian country.
MintAir is a Korean company founded in 2014 as a supplier of super heat conductors for electronics and automotive manufacturers. In 2020, The it pivoted to focus on becoming an electric aircraft operator and to specialize in the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) aspects of urban air mobility.
“Our mission is to develop the safest advanced air mobility service in both urban and rural environments based on sound ESG management,” said MintAir CEO Eugene Choi. “Jaunt Air Mobility is committed to those same principles throughout the aircraft's lifecycle. And we are confident the Jaunt Journey will transport the public with the highest level of safety."
MintAir plans to launch air taxi services in multiple Korean markets using a fleet of electric vehicles, including Jaunt’s Journey model, which the company believes will offer superior safety and efficiency with a low operating cost and a clear path to certification under existing regulations. U.S.-based Jaunt plans to achieve type certification under the FAA’s Part 29 rules, which apply to commercially operated rotorcraft, by the end of 2026.
The Journey is a fully electric, piloted rotorcraft that is expected to transport four passengers to a maximum range of about 100 miles (160 kilometers), traveling at a top speed of 175 mph (280 km/h). Designed as a hybrid between a fixed-wing aircraft and a helicopter, the Journey utilizes Jaunt’s patented slow rotor compound (SRC), which reduces drag and vibration by lowering the speed of the main rotor down to about 10 rpm during cruise flight. Jaunt is also working with Penn State University and Continuum Dynamics, Inc. to reduce the amount of noise produced by the aircraft.
“The Jaunt Journey's aircraft design offers the safest air taxi configuration that is operationally efficient, quiet, and sustainable,” said Jaunt CEO Martin Peryea.
In addition to the Journey passenger eVTOL, Jaunt is also developing a few other types of electric and hybrid-electric aircraft. Other products in the Jaunt family include the Jaunt Jambulance for emergency medical services, the Jaunt Joust for defense applications, and the Jaunt Geap cargo craft.
Jaunt’s eVTOLs are designed and built in Montreal, Canada. The company is also working with Vertiko to launch air taxi services across Quebec by 2026.
