Overview
- Heart unveiled the ES-36 on Wednesday and began building a pre‑production airframe in Los Angeles with the company targeting a first flight in the second half of 2028.
- JSX converted a 2023 letter of intent into a deposit‑backed purchase commitment for 50 ES‑36s and secured rights to buy 50 more, giving the carrier early delivery positions.
- The ES‑36 is a redesign of the ES‑30 that adds six seats and about 1,415 pounds of payload while keeping the same max takeoff weight and battery capacity.
- Heart says the airplane uses two series‑hybrid powertrains with 1.65 MW electric motors each, offers about 125 miles of all‑electric range and about 745 miles in hybrid mode, and reflects lessons from the X1 demonstrator that flew on August 12, 2026.
- Commercial service remains years away because the type is uncertified, entry into service is targeted for 2031 pending FAA Part 25 approval, and operators such as JSX may need cabin or regulatory workarounds to meet current Part 135/public‑charter seating and payload limits.