French aircraft manufacturer Elixir brought two of its “4th Generation” composite trainer aircraft to display at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. Based in La Rochelle, France, and founded in 2015, Elixir said it recently delivered its 26th aircraft to an aircraft rental service in Locavion, France. Elixir claims it holds orders for more than 200 new trainers.
With the support of the French government, which announced a 13-milion-euro ($14 million) subsidy last year, Elixir is preparing to open a new 15,000 square-meter (161,459 square-foot) facility in La Rochelle.
In the U.S., Elixir plans to open a plant in Sarasota, Florida, next year. The plant will serve initially as a reassembly facility for imported aircraft.
Elixir traces its “Carbon Oneshot” technology (one-piece assemblies) to the world of competitive sailing. “More simplicity means fewer failures, so greater safety,” Elixir writes, “but also less maintenance and lower [operating] costs.” The company estimates its overall savings at $50 per hour in fuel and maintenance costs.
Elixir currently has more than 150 employees, and says it is “recruiting massively.”
