South Korea-based advanced air mobility provider MintAir has signed a letter of intent for the purchase of 50 Electra.aero eSTOL aircraft.

MintAir's service will initially cover existing domestic routes and leverage regional airports, later expanding to new infrastructure made accessible by Electra's ultra-short take off and landing capability. For example, MintAir has engaged Seongnam-si, a satellite city of Seoul, as a new AAM hub to provide regional air service directly from a major metropolitan population centre, saving travellers valuable time by avoiding long drives to and transit times through major airports. Located in Gyeonggi Province near the Han River, a mere 26 km from the Gangnam district of Seoul, Seongnam City is a bright, vibrant metropolis nicknamed Korean Silicon Valley thanks to the concentration of Korean tech giants such as Naver, Kakao and KT as well as startup companies.

“Our mission is to develop the safest advanced air mobility service in both urban and regional routes, contributing to decarbonisation of the aviation industry,” says CEO Eugene Choi. “We selected Electra's eSTOL because of its superior safety, the energy-saving lift efficiency of its blown-lift technology, lower operating costs and the clear path to certification as a fixed wing aircraft."

“MintAir joins over 20 other customers in recognising the performance and cost benefits of Electra's next-generation electric aircraft,” adds Electra.aero founder and CEO John S Langford. “We are excited to work with MintAir as it transforms South Korea's transportation market using Electra's eSTOL aircraft to provide ultra-convenient air services out of the smallest spaces.”

Electra's eSTOL aircraft can operate from spaces as small as 300x100 ft (90 x 30m). The quiet, low emissions aircraft is currently being designed to transport up to 1,800 pounds (816kg) of cargo or move nine passengers up to 500 miles (800 km). Electra customers span worldwide AAM providers with operations ranging from urban and regional air mobility to VIP and charter flights, cargo logistics, medical services and more.

Earlier this month MintAir agreed to purchase up to 40 of Jaunt's eVTOL aircraft, and in July 2021, it placed an order with Skyworks Aeronautics for 100 eGyro eVTOL aircraft, a deal that included options for an additional 100 aircraft plus development of a pilot training programme and maintenance and repair capability.