Hampton Roads Companies Tidal Flight and Coastal Seaplanes Announce Partnership to Drive Sustainable and Affordable Coastal Mobility in the Mid-Atlantic
Hampton Roads, Virginia – Coastal Seaplanes, a burgeoning seaplane airline currently operating across Hampton Roads, the Chesapeake Bay, and Outer Banks, today announced a partnership with Hampton Roads-based Tidal Flight to introduce Tidal’s Polaris Amphibian hybrid-electric aircraft to routes throughout the Mid-Atlantic. The partnership is marked by a Letter of Intent (LOI) for purchase of the Polaris aircraft.
Tidal’s Polaris Amphibian aircraft is a modern, clean-sheet, composite, hybrid-electric seaplane that can carry 9-12 passengers with baggage while reducing fuel burn by 85%, nearly eliminating corrosion-related maintenance, and reducing takeoff noise by ~20 dB relative to comparable existing seaplanes. The partnership between Tidal Flight and Coastal Seaplanes will enable locally informed operational insights and feedback for Tidal’s development, support planning for entry-into-service, and drive joint community engagement. Jude Augustine, Co-Founder & CEO at Tidal, shared the unique value of partnering with a local seaplane operator, saying, “Having Sam [Riggs] and the Coastal Seaplanes team right here brings unparalleled opportunity for rapid feedback. There is no faster way to quickly refine operational elements than with an experienced, committed operator who is implementing our technology and based right here at home.” Augustine added, “Of course, there is also just a strong sense of hometown pride in making our shared vision for mobility happen in our region with a local operator”. Pranav Krishnamurthy, Co-Founder & CTO at Tidal, added, “Learnings around passenger experience and infrastructure integration will be particularly valuable for us as we work closely with the team at Coastal Seaplanes.”
Coastal Seaplanes was founded by Sam Riggs in 2023 with a vision of using convenient, direct, and low-infrastructure seaplane service to make Hampton Roads a hub for coastal mobility throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. The region is dominated by waterways that can hinder other forms of transportation, but these same waterways enable direct seaplane access to both population centers and tourism destinations. However, Hampton Roads had no established seaplane bases prior to Coastal Seaplanes’ arrival. Within one year of arriving in the region, Riggs and his team at Coastal Seaplanes opened and brought commercial service to 5 new seaplane bases, including the first ever seaplane base on Army Corps of Engineers managed waters. Riggs has set his sights on growing the fleet, opening new bases in Maryland and North Carolina, and becoming a core element of the region’s mobility fabric. According to Riggs, the partnership with Tidal Flight is a strong step towards growing that vision, “Coastal Seaplanes has built the infrastructure and demonstrated the operational viability of coastal air mobility, and Tidal’s modern amphibious aircraft platform brings powerful and unprecedented efficiencies that will accelerate expansion across the region. We’re proud to be advancing this next chapter in sustainable, real-world air transport together with such an incredible team.”
About Coastal Seaplanes
Coastal Seaplanes is redefining air travel along the Eastern Seaboard. As the Mid-Atlantic’s premier Seaplane Air Carrier, the company has transformed the waterways of the Chesapeake Bay and Outer Banks into a connected network of destinations offering scheduled flights, private charters, and unforgettable coastal experiences. Founded on precision, safety, and innovation, Coastal Seaplanes is building the foundation for a new era of regional air mobility where the ocean, sky, and community converge.
Learn more at www.coastalseaplanes.com.
About Tidal Flight, Inc.
Tidal Flight is a Hampton Roads, Virginia-based startup founded in 2023 to build aircraft for sustainable and affordable air travel. Tidal’s first aircraft is Polaris, a modern 9-12 passenger hybrid-electric seaplane designed to serve coastal regional mobility. To learn more about Tidal Flight, visit www.tidalflight.com.