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. It is now adding new routes under the Indian government's UDAN regional connectivity scheme.
The electrically-powered, all-composite PHA-ZE 100 will be certified to EASA CS-23 and US FAA FAR-23 standards for fixed-wing passenger aircraft. It is powered by ten electric motors supplied with energy from batteries or hydrogen fuel cells. Its initial flight endurance on battery power is projected at 60 minutes, with a 30-minute reserve.
The aircraft will be able to operate from coastal waters in waves up to 1.2 metres high, as well as lakes, waterways, and runways, the latter using a retractable wheeled landing gear.
