MagniX Unveils Electric Engine for the GA Market

MagniX, the technology company developing fully-integrated powertrains for the aviation industry, introduced on Tuesday the magniAIR, an electric engine targeted initially towards the kitbuilding community. 

As part of the launch, the company announced that it is integrating the engine, as part of a full magniX powertrain, into a homebuilt Van’s RV-10, with the first flight scheduled for later this year. The RV-10 is currently being displayed at Sun ‘n Fun in Lakeland, Florida, along with a range of other magniX products.

The company said that the magniAIR is expected to be available for purchase in 2027 and will lower the cost of operation by reducing fuel usage and maintenance requirements when compared with traditional combustion engines. Implementation will initially be available to kit builders, recreational flyers, and flight training operations. 

“We are very excited to bring the marvel of electric flight to a new segment of the market,” Reed Macdonald, CEO of magniX, said in a news release. “MagniAIR electric engines coupled with our industry-leading Samson batteries can be used for any application currently powered by a 120-175 kW piston engine. Thanks to magniX’s full powertrain, integration is simple and cost effective, bringing electric flight to kit plane builders and enthusiasts.”

MagniX also aims to take advantage of the FAA’s Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification (MOSAIC) rules that redefine light sport aircraft (LSA), allowing for a broader range of uses. As the aviation industry continues to trend more and more towards electronic innovation, the company stated that its prime application is pointed toward the electrification of flight trainers and to bring down the costs associated with obtaining a pilot’s license. 

“Many training aircraft in use today were manufactured in the 1970s,” said Ben Loxton, vice president of new product development at magniX. “Fuel prices and maintenance costs are causing the cost of flight training to rise at the same time as the industry faces an acute shortage of pilots. MagniAIR offers to reduce the expense of flight training and other small aircraft applications with a lower cost of operation, reduced maintenance, and zero carbon emissions.”