Aura Aero Unveils Reconfigured ERA Cabin Concept

Aura Aero has disclosed more details about its in-developed ERA hybrid-electric regional aircraft cabin configuration, with various options available to seat between 8 and 19 passengers. This includes a greater space at the rear of the cabin, while an enlarged passenger door will also serve to accommodate easier loading of freight in a cargo configuration.

All variants will feature the same high ceiling of just over six feet, with a fully cylindrical profile extending to the rear of the cabin. “The absence of overhead luggage racks opens up the space, while luggage is stored at the front in dedicated areas offering up to 70 cubic feet of storage,” explained the company in an announcement at the Aero Friedrichshafen show on Wednesday.

The French company's chief technology officer Mattia Padulo told a press conference that an enlarge space at the back of the cabin has resulted in improved seating space. Although ostensibly envisaged as a 19-seater—the maximum capacity permitted under EASA CS-23 rules—Aura Aero believes its adjustable cabin options provide flexibility for a variety of missions, from scheduled regional services to business charter. A separate dedicated cargo variant will also be able to accommodate up to six U.S. or seven European standardized pallets.

Padulo explained that the regional 19-seat layout remains “the core of the aircraft’s mission,” offering seat pitch of 29 inches and a 20 inch aisle width. An 18-seater configuration is also a possibility, along with a 16-seater: the latter a limit he explained is “often required in the U.S. market because of the larger [seat] pitch of [up to] 24 inches.”

However, making further use of the large cabin volume—something Aura Aero believes is comparable to that of a mid-size or super mid-size jet—a dedicated business layout has also been proposed. A nine-passenger forward-facing concept will be complemented by an eight-seater ‘lounge’ format, arranged in two club-fours, featuring 23 inch wide seats. Notably, ERA’s first publicly disclosed firm order is for a customer operating in the lower-density use case.

The first ERA prototype remains on track to make its first flight late last year, with Aura Aero in the process of allocating a production contract for the metal fuselage. The company is targeting certification and entry into service by the end of the decade, with nearly 200 letters of intent and 20 firm orders received to date.