Mokulele Airlines to test electric cargo planes

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – For the first time in Hawaii, an interisland airline plans to test out an electric cargo plane.

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Mokulele Airlines announced Thursday it is partnering with Vermont-based aerospace manufacturer BETA Technologies to conduct trial flights with a battery-powered aircraft.

BETA will be training Mokulele pilots on demonstration runs from Honolulu to Molokai and Lanai over the next few months.

“It’s something that we’re really proud of, to bring to that mix of aviation resources to Hawaii,” BETA head of training Tyler Seeholzer said.

The shuttle, BETA sales representative Sheradin Fabrizius emphasized, is “fully electric, so the tail pipe emissions on this aircraft is zero.”

When asked about safety, Seeholzer acknowledged the aircraft relies on lithium-ion batteries, admitting that when such units catch fire, they are “exceptionally difficult to fight.”

Considering the risk of ignition, Seeholzer explained the plane is designed with vents to “off-board any material and allows survivability of the pilot.”

During publicity event Thursday, Fabrizius called for feedback from its Hawaii partner.

“Give us all of your questions, comments, good and bad. We want to expose those right now, before the aircraft enters service, so that when you’re buying your ticket online and taking your first ride, you have a fantastic, memorable, experience,” Fabrizius said.

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Seeholzer touted the all-electric aircraft as a more cost-efficient option, adding, “The cost of energy is about 40 times less than the cost in fossil fuel.”

If BETA’s aircraft is deemed a viable option, the hope for government officials, including State Sen. Lynn DeCoite, is that lower costs may also reduce prices for passengers.

“For far too long, our rural communities have faced limited options, rising costs, and inconsistent service. That is why today’s demonstration is about much more than this new aircraft. It represents an opportunity to build a transportation system that is more reliable, more affordable, more sustainable,” DeCoite said.

However, there will be no passengers on the test runs, as BETA is using its ALIA conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) cargo-carrying model.

“In the future, we will have a passenger variant that is going to come here,” Seeholzer said.

Hawaiian Airlines is not an official partner, but will be offering guidance and help with logistics throughout the demonstration campaign.

“It’s on all of us to do the demos, to understand the technology, to work together to advance the technology, to get it certified,” Hawaiian Airlines CEO Diana Birkett Rakow said.

BETA will be working with the FAA to certify the aircraft over the next year.

The company also wants to eventually test routes from Honolulu to Maui and Hawaii Island.

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