With A 200-Ship Order Book, Elixir Aircraft Exhibits At AirVenture

French aircraft manufacturer Elixir brought two of its “4^th 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 26^th 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.”