10.07.2023 - 02:18 UTC
Mehair (Mumbai International) has ordered fifty PHA-ZA 100 from Swiss manufacturer Jekta with deliveries to begin in 2029. The Indian seaplane operator has paid deposits for the first ten electrically-powered amphibious aircraft which will be configured for 19 passengers.
Jekta confirmed the order for 50 PHA-ZE 100 units, saying it would "transform the way India travels". "India is primed for the amphibious revolution, and we are creating an airframe that operates wherever there is land, wherever there is water, which adds real value to Mehair operations.
Mehair director Siddharth Verma agreed that with a 7,400km long coastline and a rich diversity of rivers, lakes, and backwaters, India was readying for "the amphibious aircraft revolution". "We are one of the fastest-growing aviation sectors and the world's largest untapped seaplane geography. The PHA-ZE 100 checks all the boxes for meeting this amphibious potential, and we are confident that the affordable airframe will transform the way India travels."
Mehair already operates seaplane services supporting air travel between cities and destinations virtually inaccessible by land infrastructure....
02.08.2022 - 06:28 UTC
Mehair (Mumbai International) has been awarded a contract by the Indian state of Gujarat to relaunch seaplane services between Ahmedabad and Ekta Nagar (previously known as Kevadia), close to the Statue of Unity tourism attraction, using a nine-seater Cessna (single turboprop) 208B Grand Caravan amphibian.
The service was previously operated by SpiceJet (SG, Delhi International) subsidiary SpiceShuttle, which suspended the route on April 10, 2021, on the back of financial difficulties due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now the Gujarat State Aviation Infrastructure Company Limited (GUJSAIL) has awarded the tender to Mehair, which is in the final stages of importing a pre-owned Cessna Grand Caravan 208 amphibian from the United States. The aircraft is expected to arrive by mid-August to begin proving flights, according to GUJSAIL Director for Civil Aviation and Chief Executive Officer Ajay Chauhan.
"The letter of operations has been handed out to Mehair, and they were given 120 days to procure the aircraft from the US. They are currently in the last phase of the procedure...
29.03.2022 - 01:59 UTC
The government of the Indian state of Gujarat spent INR77 million rupees (USD1 million) to start an ill-fated seaplane project that operated for less than six months in 2020/2021, according to recent disclosures in the National Legislative Assembly in the state capital Gandhinagar.
Responding to questions on March 23, 2022, state transport minister Purnesh Modi said the seaplane service that had launched on October 31, 2020, had been down for maintenance for 47 days during those months before it folded on April 10, 2021, reported The Indian Express newspaper.
As reported, the venture was short-lived because its single DHC-6-300 amphibian, 8Q-ISC (msn 321) on wet-lease from Maldivian (Q2, Malé), had to be sent for mandatory maintenance in the Maldives as there were no wet- or dry dock facilities in Ahmedabad.
The seaplane service was supposed to have connected the Sabarmati riverfront in Ahmedabad to the Statue of Unity in Ekta Nagar in the Narmada district under the government-subsidised UDAN regional connectivity scheme.
An unnamed official told The Indian Express the...
11.01.2022 - 07:53 UTC
The Gujarat government has invited tenders from national and international companies to relaunch India’s first scheduled seaplane service between Ahmedabad and Kevadia, according to Gujarat State Aviation Infrastructure Company (GUJSAIL) Director, Ajay Chauhan.
Indian media report that January 11, 2022, is the deadline for applications for the three-year contract under the government-subsidised UDAN regional connectivity scheme. Three carriers are reported to have already expressed interest, including a private firm from Gujarat as well as seaplane operator Mehair (Mumbai International), and Ventura AirConnect (Ahmedabad).
The Ahmedabad Mirror reports India’s Parliament has been informed that the previous operator, SpiceJet subsidiary SpiceShuttle (SG, Delhi International), has abandoned its plan to revive the service, which it had suspended in April 2021 on operational grounds.
The airline was not immediately available for comment.
As reported, SpiceShuttle began commercial seaplane operations on October 31, 2020, but the venture was short-lived because its single DHC-6-300 amphibian, 8Q-ISC (msn 321), wet-leased from Maldivian (Q2, Malé) had to be sent for...
