After establishing a foothold in the North American market in July 2022, at the AirVenture show in Oshkosh, Elixir Aircraft secured a partnership with Cirrus Aviation, based in Sarasota (Florida). The American school has committed to ordering 10 Elixir aircraft over the next 5 years.
The contact between Elixir Aircraft and Cirrus Aviation was made at the show in Oshkosh last summer. David Cattin, CEO and founder of Cirrus Aviation, along with four members of his team, instructors and mechanics, visited La Rochelle in mid-February 2023. The goal of this visit for the American partner was to assess the French manufacturer firsthand, train two of their pilot-instructors on the Elixir, and allow their technicians to discover the Elixir in detail.
Over the three full days they spent in La Rochelle, the Americans accumulated about twenty hours of test flight time and followed many hours of training on all aspects of maintenance. The immersion was evidently successful, since Cirrus Aviation confirmed its order for two aircraft planned at AirVenture last year, and committed to ordering a total of 10 aircraft at a rate of two new aircraft per year for the next five years, with the first two being delivered to Sarasota later this year, according to Elixir Aircraft.
Cirrus Aviation is expected to become the cornerstone of the French aircraft manufacturer's distribution and customer support network in the United States. The manufacturer also plans to establish itself in Sarasota, where the planes produced in La Rochelle and destined for the North American market will be assembled.
The process of FAA certification for the Elixir was initiated in 2021. In the current context, it would be imprudent to announce a deadline. The FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) is still rebuilding itself after the 737 MAX affair that shook it. Daher had to wait six months to obtain certification for the TBM 960, while previously it would have followed European certification by a few weeks. Airbus Helicopters has been waiting for three years for the liberating stamp for the H160. Elixir Aircraft, which doesn't have the weight of Daher, let alone that of Airbus, can only keep a low profile. In any case, on the day of certification, it will be ready. The company is working on it methodically. This week, Arthur Leopold-Léger, CEO and co-founder of Elixir Aircraft, is attending the annual GAMA (General aviation manufacturers association) conference in Washington. He continues to lay the groundwork.
Cirrus Aviation Partners with Elixir Aircraft
Elixir Aircraft established a partnership with Cirrus Aviation at the AirVenture show in Oshkosh in July 2022, with the American school committing to order 10 aircraft in the next 5 years. In February 2023, Cirrus Aviation visited La Rochelle to assess the French manufacturer and train their pilots and mechanics. After three days and twenty hours of test flights, Cirrus Aviation confirmed their order and committed to ordering two aircraft per year for the next five years. Elixir Aircraft will also establish themselves in Sarasota where the planes destined for the North American market will be assembled. FAA certification is currently underway, with Elixir Aircraft CEO Arthur Leopold-Léger attending the GAMA conference in Washington to lay the groundwork.
