The companies announced on January 31 that Azul Conecta, a regional airline in Brazil, has signed a letter of intent with hybrid-electric aircraft developer Ampaire to upgrade six of its Cessna Grand Caravans to Eco Caravans.

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Two months ago, Ampaire successfully conducted the first flight test of the hybrid-electric Eco Caravan, a Cessna 208 Grand Caravan hybrid. In order to certify the Eco Caravan by 2024 under a supplemental type certificate, Ampaire, based in Hawthorne, California, is working with the FAA.

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In addition to reducing fuel consumption and emissions, Ampaire's AMP-H570 hybrid-electric powertrain can reduce operating costs by 25 percent or more.

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“After evaluating a variety of technologies, including fully electric and hydrogen fuel cells, we concluded that Ampaire moves us towards our ESG [environmental, social, and governance] goals much faster,” said Azul Conecta CEO Flavio Costa. Our mission is innovation and we believe the Eco Caravan upgrade will accelerate our path to sustainability, while maintaining a safety standard, which is the first and most important value of Azul Conecta.”

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It was formed in 2013 after the merger of Two Táxi Aéreo and Flex Aero Táxi Aéreo, formerly known as TwoFlex. In 2020, it was purchased by and became a subsidiary of Azul, the largest airline in Brazil in terms of passengers, departures, and destinations. 

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As Brazil's largest Grand Caravan operator (three are cargo aircraft), Azul Conecta operates 80 domestic flights across the country every day, serving 84 destinations.

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