U.S. regional cargo carrier Alpine Air Express has provisionally agreed to purchase up to 75 of Aura Aero’s hybrid-electric, 19-passenger ERA aircraft, the French manufacturer announced on July 31. The letter of intent Aura and Alpine signed last week builds upon a partnership they formed in June 2023 to collaborate on certification efforts for the aircraft, as well as operational and customer support services.
With headquarters in Provo, Utah, Alpine Air Express is a Part 135 cargo operator offering last-mile delivery services across the U.S. for shipping giants like UPS, Amazon, and the U.S. Postal Service. It operates a fleet of more than 80 aircraft, most of which are Beechcraft 1900 twin turboprops that it converted for cargo under a supplemental type certificate.
“Competitive advantages of ERA as a cargo aircraft with respect to traditional turboprops include lower operating costs, optimized payload capacity for typical short-haul freight, and increased safety through state-of-the-art avionics and flight controls,” commented Aura Aero chief commercial officer Drew McEwen.
Aura Aero expects the ERA (short for Electric Regional Aircraft) to enter service before 2030 with a hybrid-electric powertrain enabling a range of up to 900 nm—10 times farther than it could fly on battery power alone. More than 570 ERA aircraft are now in Aura’s order book, which the company said is potentially worth $9 billion.
In addition to the ERA, Aura Aero is also developing a two-seat electric trainer aircraft called the Integral E. This will expand its light aircraft product range, which already includes the piston-powered R and S models.
The Toulouse-based company announced in June that it is preparing to open its first U.S. facility at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida. This 500,000-sq-ft manufacturing and assembly site will serve as the completion and delivery center for the Integral aircraft.