How on earth will seagliders work? Shah Aslam, chief executive of Ocean Flyer, sits down with Northern Advocate journalist Denise Piper to answer your questions about seagliders.
A new form of transport being explored to connect New Zealand’s coastal towns will have to map whale migration, and plot a course to avoid ships and seabirds, before taking off.
The zero-emissions seagliders are being developed to float, foil, then fly 10m above the water at speeds ofup to 300km/h, promising to reduce a trip from Northland’s Marsden Point to Auckland’s Viaduct to just 35 minutes.
Last week, the project became a step closer with Ocean Flyer securing $145m in funding from British-based investor Monte to secure New Zealand’s first lot of seagliders.
Ocean Flyer chief executive Shah Aslam has answered a number of questions from Northern Advocatereaders about seagliders - including how they will work in rough weather, and how they can avoid boats, marine mammals and dense flocks of seabirds.
He explained the radar, lidar and aviation-grade avionics being developed to plot a safe course for the seagliders each time they take off and land, as well as the route planning being done to avoid marine mammals.
While Marsden Point could be one of the first ports involved, with Ocean Flyer signing memorandums of understanding with Northport and Northland Inc, no routes have been confirmed yet, Aslam said.
Manufacturer Regent is still developing the seagliders as well as a training course for the pilots, which will be a hybrid of aeroplane pilots and boat masters, he said.
Launch date is expected to be the end of 2026 or early 2027, as Aslam said there are still a number of things to be confirmed.
“We want to make sure that passenger safety and comfort is our number one priority; we want to make sure we avoid all sea life, mammals, and we engage with all the appropriate authorities around that ... We’re making some significant progress in terms of the headway to date.”
Aslam said he would like to see some government support for seagliders as a new form of transport, as they could take pressure off roading infrastructure and increase connectivity.
“Across the board, from all the transport methods, there is no competition in the market at the moment and I think that’s very unhealthy - I think the lack of transport and connectivity that we’re seeing around the country is a reflection of that lack of competition so I would recommend to the Government that they should welcome this with open arms.”
Ocean Flyer chief executive Shah Aslam, right, pictured with operations manager John Hamilton, says he is pleased with the progress the company is making in New Zealand so far. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Unlike a plane, seaglider passengers will not have to check in 30 minutes before take-off and the 7kg bag limit will be lifted. The cost for a trip from Marsden Point to Auckland is expected to be less than $100.
For more details, see the video above.
Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.
