Begumpet, Hyderabad. 19 January 2024. Leasing firm from Gift City Gandhinagar Vman signed a MOU for Ten (10) ME-1A Amphibious Aircraft from US aircraft manufacturer Mallard Enterprises at Wings India 2024. It is a regional amphibious airplane, which can land and takeoff from land or water, with a standard seating capacity of 19 passengers offering low emissions, low noise pollution, faster speed, and lower operating costs on short haul routes. It will have a range of 350 nautical miles (648 kilometres) with 19 passengers and luggage and an extended range of 1050 nautical miles (1945 kilometres) with 6 passengers all including typical airline reserves.
“India has more than 6000 KM coastline (7500 KM including islands), large number of the waterbodies from sea level to 10,000 feet altitude which need efficient and economical connectivity and integration with main transport network of air, road and rail. Amphibian aircraft plays a vital role in connecting this difficult inaccessible terrain with main transport network and intra region transportation,” said Vishok Mansingh, CEO Vman. “ME-1A is new generation Amphibian aircraft of 21st century design which will provide reliable, economical and environmentally sustainable connectivity solution and help development of the social and economic life of the hinterland, ” he added.
Vman Aviation Services IFSC Pvt Ltd, a Vman Aero Services LLP subsidiary, provides a bespoken aircraft operating leasing and lease transaction structure solution for General Aviation, Business Jet Helicopter. Vman also provides aircraft acquisition and funding services. A lease for an aircraft is a formal contract between two parties, usually a lessor and a lessee. In return for regular payments known as rentals or lease payments, the lessor consents to give the lessee use of the aeroplane for a predetermined amount of time. Payments for aircraft leases can be made on an operating basis, where the lessor only pays for actual flight hours, or on a full-time basis, where the lessor pays for all flight hours up front. Another option for an aircraft lease is a one-time payment option that eliminates the need for ongoing installments. It’s crucial to remember that leases are not loans because there is no initial interest payment and no title transfer.
“We’re really excited to be a part of the Vman Aviation commitment towards last mile regional air travel,” said Dan Peabody, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Mallard Enterprises. “The ME-1A, with its competitive economics, amphibious capability, and green credentials, fits very well with Vman Aviation’s vision, and we see not only the opportunity to reconnect many existing regional routes, but also open many more new ones. We believe this transformation will be good for the people of India, good for the economy as well as for the environment.”
Given that 71% of the planet is covered by water, the all-new Mallard makes it simple to connect land and water anywhere in the world. Around the world, the Mallard’s amphibious capability connects places with sparse aviation infrastructure. Two important characteristics of the Mallard that make it stand out from the competition are its speed and payload. The Mallard surpasses government requirements in terms of safety and capability. Modern cockpit instrumentation combined with standardised avionics will maximise safety, offer a common interface for pilots, and enable instrument flight rules (IFR) operations in low-visibility weather. The twin-engine design will improve safety over the single-engine design and allow commercial operations in nations where regulations prohibit single-engine aircraft from being operated commercially.
“The ME-1A, with its competitive economics, amphibious capability, and green credentials, fits very well with Vman Aviation’s vision, and we see not only the opportunity to reconnect many existing regional routes, but also open many more new ones. We believe this transformation will be good for the people of India, good for the economy as well as for the environment,” said Mohan Chunduri, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer at Mallard Enterprises.
“Together with Vman, we are committed to supporting India’s UDAN program with a multi-role amphibious aircraft that offers low cost vital last mile air connectivity to small communities across the country,” says AVM Arvind Walia, AVSM VSM, Advisor Business Development at Mallard Enterprises.Mallard Enterprises develops runway independent aviation solutions that increase access, save time, are cost effective and sustainable. Located in Brunswick, Maine, USA Mallard Enterprises is developing the ME-1A, a composite hull amphibious aircraft for operators who are looking for the world’s most versatile Runway Independence Aircraft.
