Heart Unveils Redesigned Flagship Hybrid-Electric Airliner, JSX Order

New clean-sheet production aircraft improves on previously announced design’s payload capacity, simplicity, and capabilities.

Jack Daleo

Wednesday, September 23, 2026 at 07:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

JSX converted its letter of intent for Heart’s ES-30 to a deposit-backed purchase commitment for 50 of the manufacturer’s new flagship ES-36, unveiled Wednesday. [Credit: Heart Aerospace]

Key Takeaways:

Heart Aerospace has unveiled its new flagship hybrid-electric regional aircraft, the 36-seat ES-36, pivoting from its 30-seat ES-30 model with increased passenger/payload capacity and better economics.
The ES-36 features a redesigned twin series-hybrid propulsion system (down from four) with a turbogenerator, which reduces drag, simplifies integration, and lowers maintenance costs.
The new aircraft offers an improved hybrid-electric range of 745 miles (up from 500) while maintaining a 125-mile all-electric range, targeting 40% lower operating costs than legacy regional aircraft.
JSX has converted its previous letter of intent into a deposit-backed order for 50 ES-36 aircraft (with options for 50 more), signaling strong confidence in the design for expanding its nonstop regional service.

See a mistake? Contact us.

Hybrid-electric regional aircraft developer Heart Aerospace has pivoted to a new flagship aircraft intended to deliver 20 percent more passenger and payload capacity and better economics than its previously announced ES-30, with JSX placing a deposit-backed order for the clean-sheet design.

The company’s new ES-36 will have 36 seats, compared to 30 on its previous flagship design, and shift from four nacelles and propellers to two, which Heart said will reduce drag, simplify the integration of the hybrid-electric propulsion system, shrink the size of the wing, and lower maintenance costs. Like the ES-30, the ES-36 targets 40 percent lower operating costs versus legacy regional aircraft.