Recently, Advanced Air Mobility developer PLANA and South Korean carrier Hi-Air inked a letter of intent for a 30 aircraft order and significant business development partnership.
The deal between PLANA and Hi-Air states that the South Korean regional carrier will be supplied with 30 AAM aircraft. The letter of intent states that PLANA will supply its ultra-capable hybrid electric AAM machines the CP-01 to Hi-Air in years from 2030 and onwards.
The agreement states that the first 10 eVTOLs will be handed over to Hi-Air in 2031, while the remaining 20 will be handed over at a later date.
In addition, the agreement also states that PLANA and Hi-Air are both collaborating in creating a viable and economical business model for passenger and cargo transportation based on these AAM machines.
The two companies have already expressed their clear and fruitful synergies at the signing ceremony on the 17th of July.
Who is Hi-Air?
Hi-Air, noticeable from its pink-colored ATR, is South Korea’s leading small-scale regional airline founded in 2019. The airline began its operations back in 2019 from the city of Ulsan and operates from Gimpo Airport, Seoul’s secondary airport to Muan, Suncheon, and Jeju.
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In 2022, the airline reached an impressive milestone where it become first first commercial air carrier in South Korea to reach 5000,000 cumulative passengers. The airline also not long ago launched a new flight between Muan and Kitakyushi, Japan.
Jinmo Lee, CPO of PLANA said: “We are excited to partner with Hi-Air, a leading small-scale air operator in South Korea. This partnership will help us to strengthen our position in the AAM market and contribute to the development of the South Korean air mobility industry.”
Joseph Kim, CEO of Hi-Air spoke optimistically of the airline’s cooperation with PLANA: “We are confident that this partnership will help us pioneer a new era of air mobility in South Korea. We will combine PLANA’s technology and Hi-Air’s expertise to create a new air mobility market.”
Plana & Gloria
Yet another agreement was signed where PLANA signed an MOU with Gloria Aviation, held at PLANA’s Icheon research & development center attended by major players from both companies, including PLANA’s CPO Jinmo Lee and Dae-hyun Shin CEO of Gloria Aviation.
Both parties agreed that maintenance and aircraft repair is the most essential parcels for a safe and sound operation.
Both companies are experts in the fields and plan to contribute to the domestic AAM industry by sharing knowledge and manpower with others who are venturing into this discipline too.
Cooperation in education
With PLANA and Gloria’s agreement, they emphasis on education. They plan to establish an education program and qualification standards for AAM workers. The two will also work closely on creating an AOC standard for AAM operators in the country, which will set precedents for future operators, Hi Air included.
Dae-hyun Shin, CEO of Gloria Aviation said: “The aviation industry is facing a major technological turning point with the introduction of electric aircraft, and like electric vehicles, electric aircraft will become an easily accessible mode of transportation for the general public within a few decades.”
“We expect that PLANA’s hybrid aircraft will contribute to the stabilization of electric aircraft by providing a technical buffer during the conversion process to pure electric power.”
Jinmo Lee, CPO of PLANA, said: “Through this agreement, we will be able to train manpower and technology that are the most important factors in the aviation industry. We will continue to contribute to the growth and activation of the AAM market and strive to build a competitive AAM ecosystem at home and abroad.”
PLANA Moving Beyond Borders
Apart from having impressive MOUs signed in South Korea, the AAM company has LOIs signed with Ghenus Air in the United States and SkyTaxi in Japan, to supply 20 and 50 aircraft, respectively since 2022.
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