Based in La Rochelle, France, Elixir Aircraft is a fourth-generation Part 23 aircraft manufacturer.

The Elixir is a low-wing, T-tail design. The cockpit for the two-place trainer consists of dual Garmin G3X touchscreens, a GTN750xi, and Garmin GNC355a comms and nav backup unit.

According to the company, the Garmin avionics suite is “built to withstand the rigors for flight training” in addition to offering an aircraft that is more environmentally friendly than its predecessors in the training market as it reduces “carbon emissions by nearly 70 percent compared to other old generation aircraft.”

The company is pursuing FAA Part 23 certification.

The Elixir comes equipped with a ballistic parachute, AoA indicator, double-slotted electric flaps, an explosion resistance fuel tank, and reinforced oleo-pneumatic landing gear and combined nose wheel, which offers a wide track and low center of gravity to minimize bounced landings associated with loss of control accidents and runway excursions.

The cockpit is designed to appeal to the global training market, said Mike Tonkin, worldwide head of sales for Elixir Aircraft. Tonkin noted that the average age of the single-engine piston training fleet is 48 years old.

• READ MORE: Elixir Trainers Land at Airbus Academy Europe

“As we know the aging single-engine piston fleet needs replacing globally,” Tonkin said. “At Elixir Aircraft we feel we have the perfect EASA CS Part 23-certified aircraft to meet the current market requirements. The Elixir is modern, safe, versatile, and extremely cost-effective with an average hourly operating cost of around 50 euros per hour [$53.97] for any ATO/FTO flying around 500 hours per year per aircraft.” 

About the Company

Elixir Aircraft was established in 2015 with a goal to create safer, more economical, and versatile aircraft for the global training market. According to the company, the aircraft are designed to be resistant to technical failures and learner friendly. To that end, Elixir Aircraft uses the Carbon Oneshot, a technology utilized in competitive sailing, to simplify the structures.

According to Elixir, “more simplicity means less failure, therefore more safety, but also less maintenance and less costs.” The company estimates the hourly operations cost for its aircraft to be approximately $60, factoring in fuel and maintenance.

In June, Elixir announced an expansion of its headquarters in La Rochelle to 150,000 square feet. The company plans to produce more than 300 aircraft a year and employ more than 1,000 people by 2033.

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“This is the important first step in bringing the F2 CS-23 to the United States,” said Tom Peghiny, president at Flight Design USA, in a statement. “We expect the certified version of the F2 to be even more popular than the S-LSA version, which was accepted by the FAA in June 2021.” 

Flight Design USA is known for its LSA imports, starting with those classified as ultralights and later LSAs known as the CTLS. The carbon fiber aircraft, with its relatively wide cockpit and large windows, quickly became a favorite in the LSA market in the U.S.

The F2 series is the newest model from Flight Design. It is slightly larger than the CT versions. It has a larger wingspan and the cabin is a few inches wider, taller and longer which will likely make entry and egress less of an advanced yoga pose for pilots of a certain vintage.

The F2 features an all-composite airframe, passive stall and spin resistance, and advanced safety systems, including an airframe emergency parachute, panel mounted AMSAFE airbags ,and an all Garmin G3X avionics suite with Electronic Stability Protection (ESP).

The Flight Design F2 CS-23 version was certified by EASA in December. CS-23 is the equivalent of the FAA Part 23, the certification standard used for general aviation aircraft in the U.S. 

The validation process allows EASA and other civil aviation authorities to submit certification packages for aircraft already certified under their authority to the FAA, this process leads to the aircraft certification in the U.S. 

According to Flight Design, the recent update and rewrite of both Part 23 and CS-23 has improved the harmonization of the two standards and is generally accepted around the world. 

Flight Design predicts the VFR F2 CS-23 will be attractive to flight schools that are looking for a more affordable option to add a new technology trainer to their fleet. In addition, Flight Design plans to bring an IFR version of the F2 to the U.S. and Canada—with proper certification of course.

In the meantime, Flight Design is gearing up to begin F2 production in Sumperk in the Czech Republic. The factory was temporarily closed due the invasion of Ukraine in early March of this year. Flight Design indicates the factory is intact and a small crew is currently onsite to produce spare parts.

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