Aura Aero Wins First Firm Order for Hybrid ERA

Aura Aero has secured its first firm order for the ERA hybrid-electric regional aircraft, marking a key milestone for the Toulouse-based startup as it advances toward certification and entry into service by 2030.

Launch customer Pan Européenne Air Service confirmed the order on March 2, though it did not disclose the number of 19-seat aircraft being purchased. The deal builds on more than 650 pre-orders previously announced by Aura Aero from 16 operators worldwide.

The ERA program was unveiled at the 2021 Paris Air Show and is designed as a 19-passenger hybrid-electric regional airliner targeting short-haul routes of up to 1,500 kilometers (approximately 900 nautical miles). The aircraft will be powered by eight Safran ENGINeUS electric motors and two sustainable aviation fuel (SAF)-compatible turbogenerators. The propulsion system will automatically alternate between hybrid and fully electric modes during different phases of flight to optimize energy efficiency and reduce emissions.

Pan Européenne, based at Chambéry Savoie and Lyon Bron airports in France, operates across Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. Its current fleet includes Embraer Phenom business jets as well as ERJ 135 and ERJ 145 regional aircraft. The ERA will offer a lower-carbon alternative for regional and private charter operations, with Aura Aero also planning a premium configuration featuring a stand-up cabin layout for up to nine passengers.

Aura Aero aims to conduct the ERA prototype’s first flight in 2027, with European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certification targeted before the end of the decade. The company has already begun preparations for serial production, identifying three manufacturing sites: its headquarters in Toulouse and two facilities in the United States.

The first overseas assembly location was inaugurated at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Research Park in Daytona Beach, Florida, underscoring the company’s international ambitions in the emerging hybrid-electric aviation sector.

In parallel, Aura Aero continues certification work on its all-electric two-seat Integral E trainer aircraft, complementing the thermally powered Integral R, which received EASA certification in December 2024.

With its first firm ERA order secured, Aura Aero moves closer to commercializing hybrid-electric regional aviation as airlines and charter operators seek lower-emission solutions for short-haul markets.

Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, ainonline.com