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French electric aircraft developer Aura Aero will open its first U.S. facility at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida. During last week’s Farnborough Airshow, the company announced its plans for a 500,000-sq-ft manufacturing and assembly plant at the school’s research park in Daytona Beach.
Aura Aero is developing a two-seat electric training aircraft called the Integral E, which is based on the existing Integral R and S piston singles. Powered by Safran’s EngineUs electric motor, this model is expected to have a flight endurance of 60 minutes, with batteries that can be recharged in less than 30 minutes. In April, EASA issued a permit to fly, giving the company clearance to start flight testing.
The Toulouse-based group is also developing a 19-passenger hybrid-electric aircraft dubbed ERA. It is aiming to have a prototype ready to start flight testing in 2026, with a view to achieving type certification in 2028. ERA’s all-electric range would be just 90 nm, but this would increase to up to 900 nm when using the as-yet-unspecified hybrid-electric powertrain.
