Go Anywhere in the Akoya

A plane that can take off on snow and land on water – it may sound like an idea you cooked up as a kid, scribbling in crayon on a sheet of paper, but Lisa Airplanes has turned this fantasy into a reality. 

The two-seat, first-of-its-kind Akoya, the latest from the luxury aircraft manufacturer based in France, comes with retractable wheels and skis as well as a patented seafoil – a set of fins that function similar to a hydrofoil on a boat – that allows for take-off and landing on sea, snow or more normal surfaces.

In other words, you can travel anywhere, anytime, no matter the terrain.

On a more functional level, the Akoya features foldable wings, so you can store it in spaces as small as your garage. It can reach speeds of 250 kilometres per hour and fly as far as 2,000 kilometres away, thanks to its incredibly low fuel consumption (5.6L/100km). 

The plane is also kitted out with top-of-the-line safety features, including an integrated parachute that makes for safe landings in case of emergencies. 

Better still, the Akoya, which is going for about 11.5 million Baht, is a truly handsome piece of machinery. It’s an all-white eye-catcher, with a minimal interior design aesthetic and a cool, rear-mounted tractor configuration (in plain English, that’s an engine set up in such a way that “pulls” the plane through the air, unlike a propeller, which would “push” it).

The Akoya complies with the LSA (Light Sport Aircraft) regulations, too – an American certification category that has quickly become an international standard. 

This all makes for a pretty neat way to jet around, say, Europe. Have breakfast in the Alps, fly to Milan in your private jet for lunch and return to the hills for a late-afternoon ski session.