AVIATION FIRM TO BRING IN 'SEAGLIDERS'

A LOPEZ Group unit is planning to bring in electric ground-effect vehicles to the country for island tourism purposes.

INAEC Aviation Corp. has partnered with US-based Regent to deploy the latter's Viceroy "seaglider," a boat/plane combination that flies just above the water between coastal destinations.

Based on Regent's website, the Viceroy will be a 12-passenger vehicle that operates exclusively over or on the water using its hull, hydrofoils, or wings using the ground effect, which allows a craft to take advantage of reduced drag when operating close to a surface.

Regent describes its seaglider as combining the high speed of an airplane with the low operating cost of a boat.

The craft is still in the prototype stage with human flight trials scheduled for next year. It is expected to enter service by 2025.

INEAC is looking to bring a fleet of 15 for interisland travel.

"They will open up new opportunities to reach currently inaccessible islands and allow visitors to experience more of the natural beauty our country has to offer," INEAC President Jay Lopez said.

Regent co-founder and CEO Billy Thalheimer said that "island nations like the Philippines are a perfect match for seagliders, where communities are connected by shared coastal waterways and can benefit from more affordable and convenient mobility between them."

The seagliders, which will be battery-powered, will have a 300-kilometer range and leverage on existing dock infrastructure.

Both companies said they would work together to engage stakeholders, including the public, to identify infrastructure and operating requirements ahead of the launch of commercial service.

Regent said that it had already built an order book of over 500 seagliders worth more than $8 billion from airline and ferry operators around the world.

INAEC, meanwhile, offers aviation services including air transportation, on-demand charters, aircraft management, aircraft maintenance, medical evacuation, fixed base operations, and aviation training.

2023-05-31T16:41:26Z dg43tfdfdgfd