Royal Mail trials electric flights

Royal Mail, Loganair, and electric aerospace company BETA Technologies have launched electric flight demonstrations across Royal Mail’s Scottish mail flight routes.

The first of a series of demonstration flights across Scotland’s regional airport network have taken place between Glasgow and Dundee, with further flights planned between Aberdeen, Inverness, Wick and Orkney.

Flights will carry representative letters and parcels, replicating the daily mail flights Loganair operates so Royal Mail can deliver to Orkney and the wider Scottish Highlands and Islands.

BETA’s ALIA CTOL is an all-electric conventional takeoff and landing aircraft designed for regional cargo and passenger operations. It requires no new airport infrastructure and operates from existing runways.

It recharges in approximately 20-40 minutes using BETA’s fast-charging system, the firm said, with a maximum demonstrated range of 336 nautical miles and a payload capacity of up to 560kg.

Royal Mail is the only delivery company to deliver to all 32 million addresses in the UK every day, including the country’s most remote communities. Fulfilling this Universal Service Obligation on routes across the Scottish Highlands and Islands depends on a complex network of road, sea and air, and on Loganair’s six decades of experience connecting communities that depend entirely on reliable air connections.

The demonstration series is designed to show how electric aircraft could integrate into this existing network without disruption, using the same airports.

Chris Paxton, Strategic Insight and Innovation Manager at Royal Mail, said: 

“This is an important step towards making electric mail flights a reality for some of the UK’s most remote communities. By working with Loganair and BETA Technologies, we’re proud to be the first UK delivery company to test an electric aircraft, supporting our journey to Net-Zero by 2040 while continuing to serve all 32 million addresses across the UK.”

Simon Newitt, Head of Sales and Support at BETA Technologies, said: 

“Scotland’s geography makes it one of the most compelling environments for electric aviation anywhere in the world — short routes, existing infrastructure, and communities that have depended on reliable air connections for generations. Flying real postal routes alongside an operator with Loganair’s experience is exactly how you validate this technology.

“We’re proud to be working with partners like Loganair and Royal Mail, who recognise that keeping these communities connected and doing it sustainably are not competing priorities.”

Luke Farajallah, CEO at Loganair, said:

“This is a landmark day for European aviation, and in-particular for Scotland’s airline Loganair. We are not talking about concepts, prototypes, or distant ambition, this is a real tangible programme of flying across our network which will provide invaluable data on how an electric aircraft could perform in a real commercial environment.”

First Minister John Swinney said: 

“I am pleased to see Loganair make history as the first commercial airline to trial an all-electric aircraft across its network.

“This next-generation technology ensures that Scotland is well placed to play a leading role in reducing the carbon emissions associated with aviation, while supporting regional connectivity for communities in the Highlands and Islands.

2I would like to congratulate Loganair for the work involved in reaching this important milestone and thank them for their continued efforts in supporting sustainable aviation.2

Sophie O’Sullivan, Director of Future Safety & Innovation at the UK Civil Aviation Authority said: 

“Electric aircraft offer the possibility of cleaner, quieter flights, with improved connectivity and greater reliability.

“The UK Civil Aviation Authority have granted permission for Loganair and Beta to demonstrate their electric aircraft across Loganair’s commercial network.

2As electric aerospace technology advances, trials like this contribute to our work to establish the regulatory framework for advanced air mobility, helping us enable this new technology to develop safely.2

Keir Mather, Aviation, Maritime and Decarbonisation Minister, said:

“We’re backing UK business with £43 million to power up green aviation and it’s great to see Loganair leading the charge towards greener aircraft and zero emission flights.

“Zero emission aircraft, hydrogen fuels and advanced air mobility will unlock economic growth, reduce climate impacts from flying, and help deliver our airport expansion plans to boost connectivity and growth whilst creating highly skilled jobs across the UK.”

Tim Alderslade, CEO at Airlines UK:

“This flight highlights the exciting, real-world developments on decarbonising aviation that are happening today. Alongside industry efforts to deliver more sustainable aviation fuels, modernise UK airspace and bring more efficient aircraft into fleets, this is further proof we have the tools to grow our sector whilst driving down our environmental impact, which must happen whilst keeping flying affordable for all.”

Fiona Smith, Sustainability Director at AGS Airports, said:

“Electric aviation represents a major opportunity to bring meaningful reductions in carbon emissions while strengthening social and economic connectivity for the communities we serve and our airports are very well placed to facilitate the earliest iteration of an electric aircraft flying network.”

Image courtesy of Royal Mail