FlyEpic Showcasing E1000 To Build Fractional Momentum

Startup FlyEpic is hosting a static display later this month in California as it looks to build momentum for its fractional program, rolled out earlier this year and anchored around the Epic E1000 turboprop single. The static will showcase the E1000 on May 27 at FlyEpic’s initial base in San Carlos, California, outside of San Francisco, as well as on May 28 in Santa Monica, closer to its Los Angeles base at John Wayne Airport in Orange County.

Founded by Epic Aircraft owner and head of business development Tanya Eves, FlyEpic is offering customers shares in the E1000 beginning at one-sixteenth for 50 annual flight hours for $285,000. Under the program, customers would have guaranteed availability, dedicated flight crews, and maintenance support.

FlyEpic CEO Toby Woods is enthusiastic about the early response to the program. “The Epic 1000 is a really unique product, a super capable airframe, modern, purpose-built, great for short-hop regional travel,” he said. “In our markets here on the West Coast, we know there’s plenty of demand for that, and we’ve seen that more now.”

The company, which is headquartered in Bend, Oregon, completed conformity checks in December, leading up to the beginning of Part 135 operations, and also plans to add Part 91K to its certificate as the fractional program takes root. Woods explained that the 91K option provides federal excise tax benefits and builds out its capabilities.

In the meantime, the company has been conducting charter and selling 25-hour membership cards. “We’re just kind of growing into it, getting everything dialed from an operational standpoint. It’s been a lot of fun.”

FlyEpic is beginning with three E1000s for the fractional program, but also has a couple more for its Part 135 operations on leasebacks from owners. Those are available to provide supplemental lift for the fractional programs as well. In addition, the nascent operator has three more on order for 2027, but its shared ownership with Epic Aircraft provides access to new aircraft that may become available, Woods added.

The company is hoping to carve a new niche in the fractional spectrum with the E1000, which will be configured for four passengers, include Starlink connectivity, and have a 1,200-nm range and a 333-knot maximum speed.

This combination, he said, “doesn’t exist in the fractional market today, and we see it as complementary to other private aviation options and to commercial aviation options that people will use as well.”

FlyEpic sees a need for “smart private aviation,” Woods continued. “It’s the right size for the distance and the number of people that are often carried on these regional routes. It is able to get into airports and access runways that other larger jets are not.”

Further, the costs of larger, more expensive aircraft do not justify many short-hop trips. Woods noted that one of the first customers also has a share in a larger aircraft with another fractional ownership provider. He pointed to customers who may have to drive 90 minutes to the nearest large airport but have a local facility with a much shorter runway nearby.

“This is a very practical product,” he said. “It’s a smart product for smart money. We’re not the top end of the market.” Rather, FlyEpic is aiming at utility.

As for its operations, FlyEpic is keeping its headquarters in Bend, home of Epic Aircraft. This provides proximity for factory training, maintenance, and parts support. But its “center of excellence” for sales and marketing will be in San Carlos, with additional space at John Wayne. The Los Angeles and San Francisco areas are the core launch markets for the operation.

As far as the static display, FlyEpic is hoping to introduce the E1000 to the market. “A lot of people…are well-versed in private aviation, but have never been in an Epic. There’s a lot of surprise about how spacious the interior is and how modern the airplane feels with the finishes.”