Elixir Aircraft, a French startup manufacturer of light aircraft, has announced significant investments during the AERO Friedrichshafen general aviation air show taking place in Germany on April 17-20, 2024.
In particular, Elixir Aircraft is to expand its industrial capacity by setting up two new facilities in France and the US.
The French startup is building a new 10,700 sq ft (994 sq. m) plant in the town of Aytré, near La Rochelle, the company’s hometown in Western France. It will produce composite parts for the fuselage and flight controls of its aircraft.
Elixir’s composites technology borrows from the sailing industry and is based on the concept of casting the structure in one piece – hence the name ‘Carbon Onesho’ – thereby lowering the risk of technical issues and simplifying its maintenance.
In parallel to this, Elixir also announced the setting up of its first site in the US, next to Sarasota Bradenton airport (SRQ), in Florida. Elixir Aircraft’s US facility will reassemble aircraft with components shipped from Europe in order to deliver them to US-based customers. The Florida establishment will also provide administrative and post-sales support to the US market.
This expansion follows the successful closing of a €40 million funding round by Elixir Aircraft, which includes €13 million in public funds. The funds are mostly being facilitated by French institutions such as Bpifrance, a bank, VC firm Innovacom and the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region (NACO), where La Rochelle is located.
As of April 2024, Elixir Aircraft has already delivered 20 aircraft and has pre-orders for another 200 units.
Elixir Aircraft has an ambitious growth program which should see it achieve a production rate of 400 aircraft per year by 2030 and employ a staff of 1,000, up from the current 150, within a decade.