AirNZ's new electric plane
 

Not an April Fool's gag – this is the Beta Alia, which AirNZ has selected as its first 'Mission Next Gen' aircraft. First commercial flight in 2026, albeit carrying cargo from NZ Post rather than passengers.

Expect to see some stories popping up later this morning, but for now, mine at https://www.executivetraveller.com/n...ttery-airplane

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...43bea56e5f.jpg

Interesting.

Looks like something out of Postman Pat (and his black and white plane)

125m wingspan?! Surely a typo?

https://www.executivetraveller.com/p...ta-plane-6.jpg

cool so half a van of parcels lol

Personally I’d prefer if they just answered the phone promptly when I am forced to call them for another ‘rescheduled flight’

Greenwashing and virtue signalling

My takeaway was that it was to learn about electric aircraft operations, before getting bigger passenger ones. There is a lot to learn I would guess.

And would help with chicken and egg problem at airports. Need batteries banks, upgraded sub stations, potentially solar on roof. Plus all the cabling to each gate and stand line they do with the fuel pipes.

Will be interesting to see costs per km electricity vs jet A1

Would it be more cost effect, for them to just buy a Nissan Leaf? If they want to get into the short-haul courier package market?

Is there something wrong with being green? Or with being virtuous?

no but that's quite different to what I said

At 150km range and only from airport to airport this is slower and vastly more expensive than road transport. Use an electric road vehicle.

Unless they looking for Cook Strait or East Coast access. As also factoring timeliness of delivery.

It’s a trial / proof of concept. Very likely there were those that doubted the usefulness of the Wright brothers’ efforts back in the day.

Whether this is something AirNZ should be dabbling with just at the moment is a slightly different question.

I think they do need to do at the moment as guessing is one of the early steps of the Q300 replacement program. The current situation is somewhat down to the delay start of the 777 replacement program. So may be they are trying not to have the same issues and making sure they start the program with enough lead time.

Right. You used pejoratives where praise was also an option.

I'm off to drink my half full glass of orange juice!