Business
Ocean Aircraft Ltd
Ocean Aircraft Ltd is a UK company, no. 15162507, registered in Bristol.
Its purpose is to serve the global seaplane industry, offering consultancy, technology, software and data under licensing, JV or other types of co-operation. It has initiated and is advancing the Ocean seaplane designs, for which it is cooperating with industry.
Replacement markets
Ocean seaplanes, including amphibians, will compete effectively among current seaplanes, landplanes and helicopters. Throughout the maritime sector and in connecting all maritime destinations to inland airfields, they will provide quicker and more economical travel solutions.
Ocean seaplanes are expected to offer a compelling case for replacements among 11,500 active seaplanes. They will secure a volume of landplane replacements across the spectrum of General Aviation, ie up to 21 seats, from private business and family aircraft to utility and sub-regional turboprops. They will also replace helicopters that serve in the maritime sector.
Capability-led expansion markets
Ocean seaplanes will expand markets in making seaplanes capable of routes and tasks not possible before and in making seaplane services affordable to a larger demographic. The greatest growth markets include:
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Connectivity between waterside and inland airfields, including Advance Air Mobility and inter-city Regional Air Mobility objectives
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Island nations needing improved communications but lacking airfields
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Emerging markets with growing middle-income populations but lacking airfields (such as India)
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Highly developed markets where surface congestion demands point-to-point air travel
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Diverse public service applications in connecting communities and providing emergency services
Profitability and return on investment
Three factors combine to offer partners and investors prospects of high profit margins and return on investment:
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Per useful seat, markets currently pay typically twice as much for amphibious aircraft than landplanes.
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Ocean seaplanes will deliver upward of 20% more useful seats (in many cases 40%) than equivalent aircraft.
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Ocean seaplanes add upward of of 20% more value again due to the Ocean physical and operating cost advantages.
Team
The team captures all the experience and know-how that has developed the Ocean technology and designs to date, in both Ocean and GULL UAV seaplane programmes. Current members have led the successful certification of various aircraft types and been appointed multiple awards across marine, aviation and motor-sport industries. The team includes top-of-class aerodynamicists, hydrodynamicists, aircraft engineers, racing multihull designers, composite manufacturing specialists and managers.
Development status
The successfully completed Phase 1 has removed all feasibility risks, proven the capabilities expected of the Ocean seaplanes and equipped confident programmes ahead. Studies and tests have confirmed the viability of the Ocean designs for Certification under existing requirements using practiced compliance methods.
Requirements and responding solutions have been developed through on-going collaboration with experienced seaplane operators with a view to becoming Ocean users, including inputs from pilots, dock handlers, maintenance engineers and financial and other managers.
Preparation of a piloted two-seat Ocean 2 (effectively a half-scale capability demonstrator of Ocean 12 and Ocean 18) has started.
Programme ahead
The second phase will advance the Ocean designs to a point that any conventional development team (or existing aircraft manufacturer) can take any Ocean aircraft specification in the portfolio to market in confident and relatively short programmes. It will position the business for the most favourable commercialisation options using a partnering / JV approach and for trading.
A global approach to manufacture is anticipated to assure low-cost supply chains in respective major markets. Airframe manufacturing arrangements will be made alongside or separated from assembly / fit / finish / test centres.