The FAA certified Elixir airplanes under Part 23 in July 2025. [Credit: Elixir Aircraft]
Key Takeaways:
The FAA has issued an immediate airworthiness directive (AD) grounding all two-seat, single-engine Elixir trainers in the U.S.
This emergency AD was prompted by a recent fatal accident involving an Elixir aircraft, where a flap reportedly separated, posing an "unsafe condition" that could lead to loss of safe flight.
Operations are halted until FAA-approved inspections or modifications are performed, a measure taken without public comment due due to the severe safety risk, and following similar actions by Elixir Aircraft and EASA.
An FAA airworthiness directive grounding two-seat, single-engine Elixir trainers took effect Wednesday.
The agency issued the AD on Tuesday following a fatal accident during a production test flight involving the Elixir earlier this month. The airplane, marketed primarily for training, is manufactured in France by Elixir Aircraft.
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Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.
