Market Intelligence: -Training Aircraft Developments
Training Aircraft Manufacturer Elixir Aircraft Announces 2024 Appointment for Director of Customer Support
Elixir Aircraft, a fast-growing training aircraft manufacturer headquartered in La Rochelle, France, has recruited Marc Douton as Director of Customer Support. With his extensive experience of customer relations in the aviation industry, an international career and a solid technical background, he will reinforce the executive team as Elixir production ramps up. He took up his new post, based at La Rochelle headquarters, on 1st July 2024.
From KLM to Dassault Aviation
Marc Douton has very good knowledge of customer support, in all types of aviation structures: MRO, and operators of commercial and business aircraft.
After starting his career in bench-mark maintenance workshops such as those of Air France, KLM, AOM, Air Tahiti Nui and SOGERMA, Marc Douton joined the customer support teams of leading aircraft manufacturers. For Airbus initially, he was a representative for the Emirates, based in Dubai, then for Malaysia Airlines in Kuala Lumpur; in both cases to support the A380 entry into service.
Marc Douton then worked in the Dassault Aviation group for ten years, as Falcon customer service representative in Eastern Europe, Asia and Polynesia. In 2022, he joined the consulting firm McLarens Aviation. He holds several type ratings in the Airbus A340, A380, Boeing 767, 737 and Dassault Falcon 7X/8X families.
As a result, Elixir Aircraft’s customers will now be able to enjoy services and procedures from airline aviation.
Structuring Customer Support
With orders for 200 aircraft – including orders, pre-orders and letters of intent – and 25 aircraft in operation in Europe, Elixir Aircraft is currently organizing its customer support department.
Marc Douton supervises a team of five: two customer support managers, a workshop manager and two mechanics. This team provides customer support, training and stock management of spare parts. The team is set to expand as production develops.
To this end, Elixir Aircraft is continuing its recruitment campaign for its three La Rochelle sites, before starting to recruit the teams expected at the Sarasota site in the USA in early 2025.
“In addition to his industrial experience in commercial and business aviation, Marc’s keen interest in light aviation was a deciding factor in his recruitment. He holds a Part-66 aviation maintenance licence, is a pilot and owner of a microlight, and has a passion for mechanics. We welcome him!” said Arthur Léopold-Léger, CEO and co-founder of Elixir Aircraft.
“I’m proud to join Elixir Aircraft, a manufacturer that is about to revolutionise the training market. I’d like to thank the co-founders for their confidence in me, and assure them of my determination to achieve maximum customer satisfaction,” said Marc Douton, Elixir Aircraft’s Customer Support Manager.
About Elixir Aircraft
Elixir Aircraft is a French aircraft manufacturer founded in 2015 to meet the challenges of global light aviation. Based in La Rochelle, it has over 150 employees and is recruiting massively. Elixir Aircraft designed and has been building a 4th-generation two-seater aircraft, certified EASA CS-23 since 2020. Elixir Aircraft uses technology from the world of competitive sailing, the “Carbon Oneshot” (in one piece), to simplify structures. More simplicity means fewer failures, so greater safety, but also less maintenance, and lower costs (estimates of savings of $50/h fuel and maintenance). At the end of 2021, Elixir Aircraft opened a new production site in Périgny, Charente Maritime, to bring production of all carbon parts in-house.
There are 25 Elixir aircraft currently in operation, with over 200 of the 4th-generation Elixir aircraft on the order book (firm or pre-orders). In June 2023, the French President announced a 13-million euro subsidy for Elixir Aircraft. In early 2024, Elixir Aircraft announced the closing of its development financing for the next 5 years, with a budget of 40 million euros. In April 2024, Elixir Aircraft announced the opening of its US factory in Sarasota, Florida.
Source: Elixir Aircraft
Photo Credit: Elixir Aircraft
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Turkish Airlines Flight Academy Places Order for 13 Additional Diamond Aircraft and 2 Simulators
Turkish Airlines Flight Academy (TAFA) has recently received 2 brand-new DA42-VI and ordered 6 DA40 NG, an additional 7 DA42-VI and two Convertible DA40/DA42 FNPT II. With this new investment, the Diamond Aircraft Fleet will be increased to 26 Diamond aircraft (12 DA40, 14 DA42).
TAFA CEO, Assoc. Prof. İbrahim Zeki AKYURT stated: “Turkish Airlines Flight Academy is dedicated to training top-quality pilots to meet our airline’s growing needs. The new Diamond DA40 NG and DA42-VI aircraft simulators will enhance our training programs as the identical cockpits of the DA40/DA42 simulators will ensure seamless transition to real flight operations, reflecting our commitment to excellence in pilot training.”
“Diamond Aircraft would like to congratulate Turkish Airlines Flight Academy on the new aircraft purchase,” said Jane Wang, Sales Director, Diamond Aircraft Austria. “They will hugely benefit from the most modern piston training aircraft technology available today and Diamond’s operational cost efficiencies as well as low emissions and noise signature.”
The 4-seat DA42-VI is the newest version of Diamond’s technology leading light piston twin-engine aircraft. It’s the first certified general aviation piston aircraft to combine modern technology airframe, avionics, and power plants. With its unique combination of performance and utility, the jet fuel powered DA42-VI is designed to make transitioning from single to twin engine much easier. The aircraft generates fuel savings of up to 50% compared to conventional AVGAS powered twins, and its panoramic canopy provides excellent visibility during all flight maneuvers.
The modern and safe composite DA40 NG, powered by the sophisticated Austro Engine 168 hp AE300 jet fuel engine, is an effective training platform for commercial cross-country navigation and instrument approach/landing procedures. The aircraft features Garmin G1000 NXi glass cockpits and is exceptionally fuel efficient and quiet.
Diamond Aircraft’s flight simulation devices are exact replicas of the real Diamond aircraft, built with authentic aircraft parts, with real avionics, high-end visuals and OEM flight dynamic models for fidelity that is simply unsurpassed. The instrument panel is fitted with the original Garmin G1000 NXi avionics suite and standby instruments, allowing to train in a completely realistic environment. Diamond simulators are at the cutting edge of the industry to ensure the most sophisticated simulation training in preparation for advanced flight training.
About Diamond Aircraft’s Flight Training Solution
Diamond’s dedication to flight training has shaped its product line of modern fuel-efficient aircraft, each with a specific training application in mind. With its complete line of piston aircraft – including a dedicated flight training concept with Single Engine Piston (DA40 NG, DA40 XLT) and Multi Engine Piston (DA42-VI) trainers, along with type-specific flight training simulators and proprietary jet-fuel engines – Diamond Aircraft is the only sole source provider in the flight training market.
About Turkish Airlines Flight Academy
Turkish Airlines Flight Academy (TAFA) is a shareholder company single-partner joint-stock company and a fully owned subsidiary of Turkish Airlines. Its main areas of operation are flight training and airport management. As a sub-brand of Turkish Airlines, it was founded to provide training for cadet pilots to meet Turkish Airlines pilot requirements, as well as offering Airline Transport Pilot Training (ATP (A) Airline Transport Pilot Training) since June 21, 2012.
TAFA’s mission is to train cadets and flight instructors (FI) who are equipped with competencies in line with the culture and values of Turkish Airlines, utilizing international standards and scientific methods. TAFA has set goals for itself to expand its training capacity professional pilots to meet the increasing need for qualified pilots of Turkish Airlines.
Since 2013, TAFA has performed its training at Aydın Çıldır Airport academy facilities, with 42 Training Aircraft, 4 FNPT II Flight Simulators, 55 Flight Instructors, and 3 Flight Operation Bases, (Aydın Çıldır LTBD, Selçuk Efes Airport LTFB, Uşak Airport LTBO).
To date, TAFA has produced about 1500 graduates, with an annual graduate capacity of 300.There are currently 150 students in the theoretical training phase and 250 cadets in the flight training phase. The average graduation time is less than 15 months.
Source: Diamond Aircraft
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Training Aircraft Manufacturer Elixir Aircraft Delivers New Aircraft to Flying Club in 2024
Elixir Aircraft, a fast-growing training aircraft manufacturer headquartered in La Rochelle, France, has delivered aircraft to Aéroclub des Navigants.
Elixir Aircraft is also deploying two aircraft to EAA AirVenture, the world’s largest airshow, held in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, United States. This year marks Elixir Aircraft’s third consecutive appearance at EAA AirVenture, and the company is returning with a larger booth, an expanded team, and renewed enthusiasm following the recent announcement that by the end of 2024, their U.S. site will be operational at Sarasota Bradenton Airport (SRQ). A 12,500 sq ft hangar will be dedicated to the initial reassembly of aircraft delivered to Elixir’s American customers. A second 6,000 sq ft building will be handed over in August 2025, to continue reassembly and maintain a stock of spare parts for the US East Coast.
Moreover, to speed up deliveries, Elixir’s second site in La Rochelle is now opened in the city of Aytré for the production of OneShot composite parts. Elixir Aircraft now has 3 sites in Europe and America.
Source: Elixir Aircraft
Photo Credit: Elixir Aircraft
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US Aviation Academy Expands Fleet to Over 130 Aircraft in 2024
Texas – United States based US Aviation Academy (USAA), one of the largest aviation and pilot training organisations in North America, added 6 aircraft over the last 3 months to grow its fleet to over 130 aircraft. 4 Cessna 172 single engine aircraft and 2 Piper Seminoles multi-engine aircraft were added to the fleet to support the growing flight training requirement by US Aviation Academy and its airlines partners.
Four airline partners visited US Aviation Academy’s Campuses in the month of June 2024 including Southwest Airlines with which US Aviation Academy operates the Destination 225 Cadet Pathway and Destination 225° Employee Pathway program.
About US Aviation Academy
US Aviation Group came under current ownership in 2006 and has grown from a hand full of Piper Warriors and a Seneca to one of the largest Part 141 flight academies in the country with over 130 aircraft at six locations. US Aviation’s growth is a product of professionalism, a commitment to safety, and excellence in training. These core values have made US Aviation Academy the choice flight training partners for colleges nationwide. In 2021 US Aviation launched its first Part 147 airframe and powerplant mechanic program which is rapidly expanding with three locations.
Source: US Aviation Academy