Republic Airways Signs A Memorandum Of Understanding As Strategic Advisor For AURA AERO’s ERA 19-Seater Program

AURA AERO targets North American regional market for new electric-thrust regional transport aircraft

Republic Airways (Republic) and AURA AERO, the French aircraft manufacturer and pioneer in decarbonized aviation, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding regarding the development of the ERA, an electric-thrust 19-seater regional aircraft.

Republic Airways is one of the largest regional airlines in North America, headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. It operates over 200 Embraer E170/175 aircraft with flights to nearly 100 destinations daily. Republic employs over 6,000 aviation professionals and flies exclusively for Delta Air Lines, American Airlines and United Airlines.

This Memorandum of Understanding sets forth the cooperation between AURA AERO and Republic with respect to the assistance Republic will provide on the ERA program. Primarily, Republic will provide support for the technical and commercial development of the ERA. Republic’s expertise in regional aviation will enhance AURA AERO’s ability to design and certify a sustainable aircraft that will be commercially viable in the highly competitive North American regional market.

ERA is a brand new eco-responsible aircraft. Concentrating many avionic, aerodynamic and propelling innovations, it is the solution to the decarbonization of regional aviation. It is an exceptionally versatile aircraft: capable of transporting 19 passengers or 1.9 tons of freight, it can also be configured for business aviation. With its pressurized cabin and an unrivaled level of passenger comfort on this type of aircraft, it has a range of up to 1,600 km and can land at the largest international airports as well as on short, unprepared runways.

ERA, whose first entries into commercial service are planned before 2030, already boasts an orderbook close to 350 Letters of Intent/Memorandums of Understanding, representing a total of around 3.5 Bn €. Whether it is for connecting islands / archipelagos or providing direct flights between regional locations, ERA is an economic solution for its users, in terms of both energy and maintenance costs. This aircraft addresses the environmental challenges of the 21st century, reducing CO2 emissions by up to 80% compared to thermal aircraft in the same category.

For Jérémy CAUSSADE, President and Co-Founder of AURA AERO: ”We are very proud to have Republic advising us on the requirements needed for a competitive aircraft in North America”. He adds: “At AURA AERO, we are convinced that electric is the future of regional aviation, and we want to pave the way for this revolution!”.