Revolutionizing the general aviation industry thanks to a disruptive technology born in ocean racing to deliver a safer, environment-friendly, cost-saving and versatile new generation of aircrafts.

Project Information

4Gen Light Aircraft

Grant agreement ID: 872440

DOI

10.3030/872440

Project closed

EC signature date 1 October 2019

Start date 1 October 2019

End date 30 June 2022

Funded under

• INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Innovation In SMEs

Total cost

€ 3 570 847,50

EU contribution

€ 2 499 593,25

Coordinated by

ELIXIR AIRCRAFT
France

Periodic Reporting for period 3 - 4Gen Light Aircraft (Revolutionizing the general aviation industry thanks to a disruptive technology born in ocean racing to deliver a safer, environment-friendly, cost-saving and versatile new generation of aircrafts.)

Reporting period: 2021-10-01 to 2022-06-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Elixir Aircraft’s mission is to simplify aviation through easier learning, flying and travelling aboard cost-efficient, eco-friendly aircraft. To that end, the French company was created in 2015 to design, certify, produce and sell innovative light aircraft worldwide. Elixir Aircraft’s priority goal is helping flight schools replace tens of thousands of old-generation aircraft that have become unsustainable economically and environmentally.

Taking advantage of its founders’ knowledge of racing yachts, Elixir Aircraft introduces carbon OneShot airframe for the first time in aviation, drastically simplifying structures. Based on this technology, the company focuses on designing and certifying aircraft integrating fuel-efficient piston engines in a new 4th generation of training aircraft.

After being awarded a grant in the framework of the SME Instrument program in 2019, Elixir Aircraft has successfully certified the basic model of its aircraft and its factory with the European Aviation Safety Agency. With more than 100 pre-orders recorded, the time has come to deliver the first aircraft, develop production facilities and accelerate the company's growth in the USA, a profitable market.

Our ambition is to boost Europe’s General Aviation sector and become the Airbus of light aircraft, ready for take-off!

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

On its way to commercialize a new generation of training aircraft, Elixir Aircraft has achieved since the launch of its H2020 project a year ago, important milestones.

Between October 2019 and March 2020, the Elixir Aircraft Design office worked on the certification procedure of our first 4th generation aircraft. During months, we spent hours on structure calculation, ground tests, flight tests… to demonstrate to the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) that our aircraft is safe. In March 2020, we were proud to obtain the EASA Type Certificate of the first version of our aircraft, the Elixir VFR 100HP.

In parallel, production team ramp up its activity. Our objective was to setup our assembly line as soon as possible in France. First, in November 2019 we were pleased to receive our EASA Production Agreement Approval. Validating years of work, this agreement confirmed that our factory is followed by a rigorous quality system. At the same time, the activities of the team were ramping up. 4 aircraft mechanics were hired in October 2019. Their mission was to use the production of the first serial aircraft to train themselves, improve production processes and finish the writing of production work instructions. By March 2020 work was well under way when the COVID-19 crisis shows up and delayed our schedule.

On the marketing and sales side, with the cancellation of every aerospace events of 2020, the team has been resilient. It has successfully organized 37 “Discovery days” during the summer, welcoming more than 100 visitors in its facility of La Rochelle. Following these visits, Elixir Aircraft recorded its first firm orders.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The EASA certification of the Elixir, the first 4th generation aircraft in the world, proved it is possible to dramatically improve something that many thoughts impossible, the performances of aircraft structure. Made possible thanks to carbon OneShot technologies, this opens the way to a new generation of airplane improving at first safety but also environmental impact and operational cost.

With a full range of products, Elixir Aircraft aims at modernizing an ageing general aviation fleet using aircraft that are nearly 50 years old. With a safer structure, anti-explosion fuel tank, airframe parachute or again a unique safe stalling behaviour, the use of those innovations is to save lives where old generation aircraft cannot. Also, at the forefront against global warming, general aviation has to take it share in this fight! Replacing the worldwide aircraft training fleet by 4th generation aircraft could save up to 547,000 tons of C0² per year. Finally, by reducing operational cost, the use of 4th generation aircraft will facilitate the access to employment to millions of kids dreaming to be pilots.

At the same time Elixir Aircraft wants to share its success, over the past year the company has created about 20 jobs from engineers to technician including 6 women. Counting main suppliers, it is now more than 100 persons that are working directly or indirectly on our project. In a very hard context for aviation, we are very proud to give a job to many great people!

The first 4th generation training aircraft, the Elixir