Electric aircraft motor designer MagniX is partnering with Sydney Seaplanes and electric aircraft developer Dante Aeronautical to create electric-powered Cessna Caravans.

US-based MagniX says the supplemental type certificate (STC) programme aims to create a Cessna Caravan all-electric conversion that will be certified by the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) by 2023’s first quarter.

The aim is to be the first in the world to develop a STC for converting Cessna Caravans to electric, says MagniX.

The STC will allow Australia’s Sydney Seaplanes, which operates and offers consulting services for Cessna Caravan seaplane operators, to distribute and support the STC with other Caravan operators in the region, it adds.

MagniX has already developed and flown an all-electric Cessna 208B Grand Caravan using a 560kW propulsion system in early 2020. The company has also developed and flown an all-electric De Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver using the same 560kW motor with Canada’s Harbour Air in late-2019.

MagniX also provides propulsion systems for Eviation’s nine-seat all-electric turboprop Alice, and is working with Universal Hydrogen to provide propulsion for its hydrogen-electric De Havilland Canada Dash 8-300 programme.

Dante Aeronautical, which is from Spain, has been chosen as the system integration partner for the electric Caravan project. The company has previously said it is separately designing a 19-seat, 400nm range regional aircraft called the DAX-19.

Photo: MagniX