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VIDEO: Harbour Air makes history with first electric aircraft test flight

Successful flight marks first of its kind in the world
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Harbour Air made history Tuesday with the first ever electric commercial aircraft flight. (Twitter/Harbour Air Seaplanes)

Harbour Air Seaplanes launched the “world’s first electric commercial aircraft” test flight on Tuesday.

Retrofitted with a 750 horsepower all-electric magni500 propulsion system, the six-passenger DHC-2 Havilland Beaver had a successful test flight at the Harbour Air Seaplane terminal in Richmond, B.C.

The record-breaking flight is the world’s first ever all-electric commercial aircraft lift off.

READ ALSO: VIDEO: Harbour Air gears up for launch of first fully-electric commercial seaplane

In March, Harbour Air announced it would partner with Washington State engineering firm MagniX in its goal of becoming the first-ever all-electric airline.

Harbour Air flies to Vancouver Island, the Lower Mainland Whistler, Seattle and the Sunshine Coast. In 2007 the company became the first North American airline to go carbon-neutral by buying carbon offsets.

With files from Katya Slepian.

READ ALSO: B.C. seaplane company set to test the first commercial electronic plane

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