Swedish electric aircraft manufacturer Heart Aerospace has teamed up with the Government of Åland to explore the use of its ES-30 electric regional aircraft in developing sustainable connectivity by air for the Baltic Sea group of islands. As a regional electric carrier, the ES-30 has a standard seating capacity of 30 passengers. It will have a fully electric zero emissions range of 200km, an extended range of 400km with 30 passengers and the flexibility to fly up to 800km with 25 passengers.
“Åland has had a positive population trend for the past 50 years and continues to grow each year,” said Fredrik Karlstrom, Minister for Trade and Industry in the Government of Åland. “As an island community our flight connections are vital to us, but so is our environment. That is why quiet, zero emissions electric flights are highly interesting.”
Åland’s capital Mariehamn is located less than 150km from the swedish capital Stockholm and Finland’s third largest city Turku. It is also less than 300km from Helsinki, Finland’s capital and the country’s second largest city of Tampere. Flight services are essential for the Åland’s economic and social connectivity to nearby destinations on the mainland. The islands have a population of 30,000 and a thriving business community with more than 2,800 enterprises, of which three are publicly traded.
Simon Newitt, CCO at Heart Aerospace said this latest collaboration is “a significant step in the development of the ES-30 as it allows us to focus on the operating infrastructure required in support of zero-emissions flying out of Mariehamn. We look forward to working together with the Government of Åland to make this a reality.”
