One French manufacturer that’s relatively new on the scene is on a roll this week at the Paris Air Show.
Elixir Aircraft, based in La Rochelle, has posted a sales streak for the training version of its aircraft, with a deal closed on more than 100 units—50 on option—with Sierra Charlie Aviation in Scottsdale, Arizona. The agreement caps a growing order book for the OEM as it brings three versions of its single-engine airplane to market.
Most of the models—intended for flight training—feature the 100 hp Rotax 912iS powerplant with a full-glass cockpit. Sierra Charlie Aviation plans to integrate the airplanes into its Aviation Career Program, an ab initio course focused on identifying varying learning styles and steering those pilot applicants towards success.
“Like Elixir Aircraft, we pride ourselves on innovation and safety, and being ahead of the curve,” said Scott Campbell, owner of Sierra Charlie. “This means providing our students with the best and safest tools out there to ensure the highest quality education and training. The fourth-generation Elixir is definitely one of these tools. The simplicity, yet strength of the airplane, like the components built with the OneShot technology, is a game changer. Less than 1,000 references [parts count] in the whole plane and half-a-day, 100-hour maintenance checks means my Elixirs will be flying a lot. And my students already fly a lot!”
Arthur Leopold Leger, CEO of Elixir Aircraft, said: “Speaking with Sierra Charlie, it’s clear both our businesses are focused on commercial and industrial development. We know the demand for the global aviation market, training aircraft and pilot shortage. We aim to work together to do whatever we need to do to meet that demand.”
Elixir delivered five of its 912iS versions in 2022 for a total of 10 made so far. The company was founded in 2015 by a trio of engineers who sought to reduce costs in flight training by lowering parts count and increasing efficiency in training aircraft. The first model achieved initial European Union Aviation Safety Agency CS 23 type certification in 2020, with FAA validation pending in the U.S.
The order caps a week in which Elixir also posted orders for four airplanes into Luxembourg to Ald Lux, an aircraft leasing company, and a letter of intent for 10 airplanes to the International Aviation Academy of New Zealand, based in Christchurch.
