The recent successful test flight of Aura Aero’s two-seater electric plane, Integral E, marks a pivotal moment with direct implications for Daytona Beach. This significant development is tied to Aura Aero’s plans for assembling its aircraft, including the Integral E, at a new facility in Daytona Beach aimed at serving the North American market.
In a noteworthy achievement, French aircraft manufacturer Aura Aero completed the maiden flight of its Integral E at the Toulouse-Francazal airport in France, on a calm morning, December 3. Co-founder and President of Aura Aero, Jeremy Caussade, described this as a profoundly emotional event, highlighting the completion of the Integral family of aircraft and the significant progress towards addressing training schools’ and flying clubs’ needs with this electric version.
The Integral E boasts a flying duration of one hour per charge, with batteries that can be fully recharged in just 30 minutes. This promises a reduction in operational costs, estimated to be half of that required for conventional gas-powered planes. Aura Aero has already secured several hundred orders for the Integral models, with deliveries for its Integral R expected in Europe by early 2025 and the electric version winding up its trials by 2026.
The construction of Aura Aero’s assembly plant at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Research Park in Daytona Beach is progressing as planned and is expected to commence operations by May 2025, employing about 20 people. This facility will be integral to assembling both conventional and electric models of the Integral range, thus heralding a new era of aviation development in the region.
Furthermore, Aura Aero is advancing plans for a larger plant spanning 500,000 square feet at Daytona Beach International Airport. This facility is dedicated to producing the eight-engine Electric Regional Aircraft (ERA), capable of ferrying 19 passengers or 1.9 tons of cargo. Scheduled for delivery by early 2029, the ERA aims to serve regional passenger and cargo carriers operating over 900 nautical miles with a quick recharge turnaround of 30 minutes.
This ambitious project, budgeted at $172 million, promises substantial economic benefits to the community by creating over 1,000 jobs paying upwards of $70,000 annually. This initiative reflects strategic site selection, bolstered by Volusia County’s performance-based incentives and the city’s property tax cuts, making Daytona a fitting hub for Aura Aero’s expansion.
The incentives include a significant $500,000 based on job creation and a $100,000 matching contribution from Daytona Beach, supplemented by potential tax exemptions contingent on financing from Space Florida. Despite these uncertainties, Caussade remains committed to progressing with the ERA plant development, showing confident reliance on the strategic location and its promising economic prospects.
The breakthrough of Aura Aero with the Integral E test flight signifies a transformative phase for Daytona Beach and its aviation landscape. By harnessing cutting-edge technology to produce eco-friendly planes locally, Aura Aero stands to bolster Daytona’s economic and industrial capabilities significantly, reflecting broader trends in aviation innovation and sustainability.
Source: News-journalonline
