ST Engineering has secured a launch customer for its in-development AirFish Wing-In-Ground craft, as Turkish start-up Eurasia Mobility Solutions signs a letter of intent for up to 10 examples.
Under the agreement, ST Engineering will customise and deliver 10 examples of AirFish 8 craft to Eurasia Mobility Solutions from 2025.
The AirFish 8 can carry up to 10 passengers including crew members, or about 1t of cargo. A test craft is on display at the Singapore air show, and ST Engineering hopes to have it certificated and entering service in 2025.
The craft, which is being developed by joint venture ST Engineering AirX, uses aerodynamic forces and air pressure generated between the craft and water surface to reduce drag and create high travel speed of up to 90kt.
ST Engineering envisages the AirFish to be an alternative to ferries, helicopters and seaplanes. It states: “Designed to take off and land on water, AirFish…avoids the need for infrastructure such as an airfield, making it a more convenient option not only for maritime public transport, but also the delivery of parapublic and logistics services as well as potential military applications in littoral waters.”
Eurasia Mobility Solutions is a Turkish start-up that hopes to use the AirFish for tourism and private transportation purposes. Founder Kubilay Ilgin says: “As an alternative mode of transportation, AirFish 8 offers a safe, sustainable and faster solution to conveniently reach places without any port or runway. Faster than existing air and marine travel options, this new technology will change the rules of marine transportation and create new trends in Turkey.”
ST Engineering commercial aerospace president Jeffrey Lam adds: “This is a significant milestone for ST Engineering’s Commercial Aerospace business as we scale up our engineering and original manufacturing capabilities to develop more innovative and sustainable solutions that connect people and goods along some of the earth’s vast coastal areas.”
