5 November 2024
Elixir Aircraft, the French manufacturer of training aircraft, revealed at FLYER’s Pilot Careers Live event in London on Saturday that its two-seat aircraft has just been certified by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
This follows certification by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in the CS-23 category (aircraft from 2 to 19 seats) in 2020.
This new approval authorises Elixir Aircraft to deliver aircraft that are immediately operable in flight schools in the United Kingdom.
The La Rochelle based company said some thirty Elixir aircraft are already in operation at French flight schools, including Airbus Flight Academy, while others have been ordered by European pilot schools including in Portugal, Spain and Greece.
British school Leading Edge Aviation is the latest customer to place an order at the beginning of October 2024 for its Spanish base.
Elixir Aircraft confirmed it is pursuing certification all over the world, with priority given to the US authority, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval. Nearly 300 aircraft are already on order from US customers.
Elixir’s factory, where the average age of staff is just 34
So what’s new about the Elixir? According to the company, the Elixir is a ‘Fourth-Generation’ aircraft. It is constructed using technology from the world of competitive sailing, the ‘Carbon Oneshot’ (in one piece), to simplify structures.
“More simplicity means fewer failures, so greater safety, but also less maintenance, and lower costs (estimates of savings of $50/h fuel and maintenance),” said Elixir.
At the end of 2021, Elixir Aircraft opened a new production site in Périgny, Charente Maritime, to bring production of all carbon parts in-house. In June 2023, the French President announced a 13 million euro subsidy for Elixir Aircraft, and earlier this year, Elixir Aircraft confirmed further financing of 40 million euros.
Elixir Aircraft is preparing to open a new 15,000 square metre facility in La Rochelle and another in Sarasota, Florida.
