Blade joins magniX for electric Cessna 208s on key routes
Blade Urban Air Mobility, Inc. (“Blade” or the “Company”), a technology-powered urban air mobility platform, today announced an alliance whereby magniX USA Inc. (“magniX”), a leading manufacturer in electric aviation, will supply its Electric Propulsion Units (“EPU”) to Lima NY Corp. (“Lima”), one of Blade’s largest aircraft operating partners, for the conversion of Lima’s Blade-branded fleet of amphibious Cessna Caravans to all-electric aircraft starting in early 2023, subject to certain conditions.
Blade is the exclusive platform for Lima flights offered to the public. Key routes include flights between the Blade Aqua Lounge at the East 23rd Street seaplane base in New York City, the eastern end of Long Island, New York, and the Blade Terminal in Nantucket, Massachusetts.
Based on current estimates, the all-electric Caravans will operate emission-free at the same speed as the current generation turbine Caravans, with a significantly reduced noise footprint and lower operating costs.
As part of the alliance, Lima will be the exclusive owner in the northeast United States of the supplemental type certificate (“STC”) for the conversion of the Caravan’s current generation turbine engine to the magniX EPU.
Blade President Melissa Tomkiel said, “Amphibious seaplane service has always been an essential part of our urban air mobility strategy, given the aircraft’s unique ability to access city centers through conveniently located waterways, such as Manhattan’s East River, as well as traditional airports. The electrification of our accessible fleet of Blade-branded aircraft, made possible through our alliance with magniX and Lima, one of our key operating partners, will further accelerate our transition to quiet, emission-free flight, allowing us to reduce the environmental and sound impact in and around the communities where we fly.”
“Partnering with Blade and Lima to bring electric aviation to one of the largest cities, and highly populated regions in the United States, is an incredible proof point to the value of offering communities zero emissions, reduced noise, and lower operating costs,” said magniX CEO Roei Ganzarski. “With electric propulsion as our cornerstone, magniX continues to build toward the new electric age of aviation.”
Blade’s alliance with magniX and Lima comes on the heels of a recent agreement for Blade to secure up to 20 BETA Technologies’ ALIA Electric Vertical Aircraft (“EVA”) on behalf of Blade’s network of operators with scheduled delivery beginning in late 2024, and arrangements for Wisk Aero LLC, a joint venture between Boeing and Larry Page-backed Kitty Hawk, to own, operate and maintain up to 30 EVA for exclusive use across Blade’s U.S. route network.
The alliance among Blade, magniX, and Lima described in this press release is subject to the Federal Aviation Administration’s anticipated approval of the STC and the parties entering into further agreements.
About Blade
Blade is a technology-powered urban air mobility platform committed to reducing travel friction by providing cost-effective air transportation alternatives to some of the most congested ground routes in the U.S. and abroad. Today, Blade predominantly uses helicopters and amphibious aircraft. Its asset-light model, coupled with its exclusive passenger terminal infrastructure, is designed to facilitate a seamless transition to Electric Vertical Aircraft (“EVA” or “eVTOL”), enabling lower cost air mobility to the public that is both quiet and emission-free.
For more information, visit https://ir.blade.com/.
About magniX
Headquartered in Everett, WA, magniX is on a mission to lead the commercial aerospace and defense industries by providing high performance, reliable and environmentally friendly propulsion solutions. Developed with proprietary technology, magniX offers a range of revolutionary electric propulsion solutions, including motors and power electronics, which produce zero emissions at lower operating costs. For more information, please visit: www.magnix.aero.
About Lima
Lima NY Corp. d/b/a Fly The Whale is a US Part 135 Scheduled Air Carrier founded in 2008. Lima operates state of the art Cessna Caravan C208EX Amphibians, wheeled Cessna Caravan C208EXs, and Sikorsky S76C++ helicopters from bases in Farmingdale, NY, and New Haven, CT. In New Haven, Lima has built a first-class seaplane facility to provide a home for the largest seaplane fleet in the Northeast supported by a highly experienced team of pilots, mechanics, and support personnel. Lima is one of the very few air carriers to offer all three modes of air transportation: traditional land, sea, and vertical lift.