South Korea’s MintAir Co. LTD (MintAir) has signed a Letter of Intent with Dutch electric aircraft manufacturer ELECTRON aerospace, to cement a strategic partnership.
MintAir plans to operate and become an official reseller for the Electron 5, a battery electric, fixed wing aircraft (also referred to as an eCTOL).
The Electron 5 aircraft family includes a 5-seater passenger version, a 4-seater trainer, and a cargo aircraft with a 500 kg payload.
In a separate deal, MintAir is securing ten Electron 5 aircraft and has priority delivery slots for 2027.
South Korea’s move to electric
MintAir is a driving force behind South Korea’s journey towards zero emission, battery electric electric flying.
To make this happen, MintAir plans to operate urban and regional air mobility services, using a mixture of vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOLs) as well as conventional take-off and landing aircraft (eCTOL).
As an operator, MintAir selected the Electron 5 due to its capability to access short runways as well as its impressive 500 km operating range, which allows MintAir to connect most airports within South Korea.
MintAir is also fully aware that the introduction of a larger number of smaller aircraft will further increase the need for pilots.
Therefore, as a reseller, MintAir is planning to sell the trainer version and passenger version to flight schools and operators in friendly neighbouring countries in Asia.
About the ELECTRON 5 aircraft
ELECTRON aerospace, a Dutch battery electric aircraft manufacturer, is designing and building the Electron 5 aircraft family, which includes a 5-seater passenger version, a 4-seater trainer, and a cargo version.
Powered purely by a battery pack, each aircraft is capable of transporting up to 4 passengers or 500 kg payload over 500 km, all with zero emission and on a single battery charge.
Importantly, the Electron 5 uses today’s commercially available battery cells, meaning it is not reliant upon future battery energy density improvements.
The company is on track to achieve EASA certification at the end of 2026 and first deliveries are scheduled for early 2027.
Subject to permits, ELECTRON aerospace plans to circumvent the world with a prototype aircraft in 2025, stopping in South Korea to celebrate the partnership with MintAir.
“US-based consultancy Oliver Wyman just updated its forecast, estimating a shortage of 80,000 pilots by 2032”, says Josef Mouris, CEO of ELECTRON aerospace.
He continues: “As a former airline pilot, I can confirm that the Electron 5 is ideal for the second stage of commercial pilot training.”
“At MintAir, we’re excited to bring the Electron 5 to South Korea, allowing us to create zero emission connections as well as offering local flight schools to go green at the same price as buying a comparable fossil fuel aircraft today”, elaborates Eugene Choi, CEO of MintAir.
He continues: “Even better: The fully battery-electric propulsion system has the potential to reduce a flight school’s operating costs significantly, making it cheaper to train more pilots.”
About MintAir
MintAir Co. LTD (MintAir) is leading the charge in Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) in South Korea, building a collaborative ecosystem to drive the adoption of electric flight.
With its extensive global business experience and network, MintAir offers operation, resale, and maintenance services for electric eCTOLs and eVTOLs, positioning itself as a key player in the development of the AAM ecosystem in the Asia-Pacific region.
About ELECTRON aerospace B.V.
ELECTRON aerospace, a Dutch electric aircraft manufacturer, develops and manufactures the Electron 5™ aircraft family, consisting of a 5-seater passenger, trainer aircraft, and cargo version.
Using today’s available battery technology, the Electron 5™ has a range of 750 km and has a top speed of 300 km/h. EASA certification is expected by the end of 2026 and first aircraft deliveries are scheduled for early 2027.
Jointly with its UK based sister company ELECTRON aviation Ltd, which will operate an on-demand, regional air mobility (eRAM) service across Europe, the company is on a mission to “make zero emission, on-demand, everyday air travel a reality”.
