Lockheed Martin-backed Electra.aero on Tuesday announced that it topped 2,000 preorder sales for its flagship eSTOL design, an order book the manufacturer values at over $8 billion once fully realized. The nine-seat aircraft is unique, even among electric designs, because of its ability to take off or land with just 150 feet of runway.

Electra reached the milestone after wrapping up three sizable agreements. In December, Finnish on-demand flying platform Lygg agreed to buy up to 300 eSTOLs in a deal valued at over $1 billion. Lygg operators, which mainly serve airports outside Nordic and European metropolises, will be able to purchase the aircraft through a hybrid-as-a-service model, which offers financing.

“Electra’s eSTOL capability allows us to rewrite the definition of direct connections for environmentally conscious business travelers using existing airfields closer to city centers, reducing valuable time spent in the air,” said Roope Kekäläinen, CEO of Lygg.

The company’s order book expanded again last week, when Indian private charter marketplace JetSetGo placed firm orders for 50 aircraft apiece from Electra, Overair, and Horizon Aircraft. Electra will work with the firm, which operates India’s largest on-demand fleet, to identify new routes that can leverage the eSTOL’s unique capabilities.

“India’s geography and demographics make it an ideal launch market for advanced air mobility (AAM),” said Kanika Tekriwal, co-founder and CEO of JetSetGo. “We want to lead the transformation of urban and regional connectivity and believe Electra is the right partner with the technology to make this vision a reality.”

The third agreement, with New York City-based helicopter tour operator Charm Aviation, had not been previously announced. Electra did not disclose the number of aircraft included in Charm’s order, but it said the operator will introduce the eSTOL to heliports and vertiports in bustling Manhattan.

“Electra’s aircraft has the range to transform New York City’s heliports from urban flight terminals into regional transport hubs with direct flights to cities and smaller communities along the East Coast,” said Marc Ausman, chief product officer of Electra.

The Aircraft

Electra says its eSTOL represents the first use of blown lift technology using distributed electric propulsion. Blown lift—which redirects slipstream flows over the aircraft’s wings into large flaps and ailerons—is what allows the design to take off from sites smaller than a soccer field.

Flaps and ailerons redirect the airflows downward to provide lift that would normally be achieved through high-speed takeoff. This, Electra says, allows the eSTOL to get airborne at “neighborhood driving speeds,” shortening the runway requirement and opening up operations out of remote or underutilized airfields.

The aircraft has a range of about 434 nm and a cruise speed of 175 knots, capable of carrying nine passengers or up to 2,500 pounds of cargo. Compared to vertical takeoff designs, it offers more than twice the payload, 10 times the range, and 70 percent lower operating costs, Electra claims.

Those benefits stem in part from distributed electric propulsion, wherein a small turbogenerator drives eight electric motors spread across the wing. Electra says this reduces emissions (by 30 percent) and noise (75 dBA at 300 feet, equivalent to a vacuum cleaner) below those of traditional airplanes or rotorcraft.

Since the aircraft uses hybrid power to fuel up—and to recharge its batteries during flight—airports won’t need electric charging infrastructure to accommodate it. That could be a crucial advantage for Electra when it comes time for the company to scale.

The eSTOL’s fixed-wing, rigid-propeller configuration—which eliminates hover and transition flight—gives it a path to be certified as a multiengine, Level 3, low-speed airplane under FAA Part 23. That means it could be flown with a standard pilot’s certificate in the airplane category.

In addition to passenger transport, on-demand urban air mobility services, and defense applications, Electra expects the eSTOL to handle cargo logistics, executive transport, humanitarian aid, disaster response, and a variety of other use cases. Its commercial launch is planned for 2028.

Topping the 2,000 preorder mark reflects the steady momentum Electra has enjoyed in recent months. That began in August with the announcement of fresh financing from climate tech fund Statkraft Ventures and the U.S. Air Force, the latter taking the form of an $85 million contract to develop and test a full-scale prototype. The following month, Electra completed the maiden voyage of its EL-2 Goldfinch demonstrator, marking the first flight for a hybrid eSTOL design.

December brought with it a major agreement with JSX, one of the world’s premier regional air carriers, which ordered as many as 330 hybrid-electric models. Those include 32 firm orders and 50 options for Electra’s nine-seater. The same month, customer Bristow Group placed a deposit for five early delivery slots for its 2021 order of up to 50 aircraft, representing one of Electra’s firmest commitments to date.

Bristow is expected to be Electra’s principal launch operational customer. The company at launch also has agreements to fly in the Middle East, Asia, Latin America, and Australia, among other locations.

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According to the aircraft manufacturer, market research indicates that China will need 8,560 new commercial airplanes through 2042. During that time, the deliveries will equate to 20 percent of the world’s airplane demand, Boeing said in its Commercial Market Outlook.

• READ MORE: Airbus To Deliver 160 Jets, Boost Production In China

“Domestic air traffic in China has already surpassed pre-pandemic levels and international traffic is recovering steadily,” Darren Hulst, Boeing vice president of commercial marketing, said in a statement. “As China’s economy and traffic continue to grow, Boeing’s complete lineup of commercial jets will play a key role in helping meet that growth sustainably and economically.”

Single-aisle designs, such as the Boeing 737 Max family, will comprise the category with the largest demand over the next 20 years, with a projected delivery of 6,470 aircraft, followed by 1,550 deliveries of widebody aircraft. By 2042, another 350 regional jets and 190 freighters will also be delivered, Boeing said.

• READ MORE: Lilium Enters Agreement with Heli-Eastern to Expand into China

Boeing predicts fleet growth will include new aircraft to replace older designs in the name of efficiency and reduced carbon dioxide emissions. This will generate demand for some $675 billion in aviation services, including training, maintenance, and repair and spare parts.

In addition to increasing the number of aircraft, the number of people in support of these airplanes will be increased as well. Officials predict China will be needing 134,000 pilots, 138,000 technicians, and 161,000 cabin crewmembers to support these aircraft.

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The French company reported net income of about $757.8 million, or $9.12 per share, compared with $640.5 million, or $7.70 per share, during the previous year. Sales decreased to $7.35 billion from $7.67 billion during 2021.

• READ MORE: A Hot and High Market

“Supply chains, particularly in the aviation sector, have been affected by successive crises: war and the consequences of sanctions as well as other geopolitical tensions and the lingering COVID-19 crisis, have led to shortages of components and raw materials, the return of inflation, rising energy prices and fears over energy supply,” the company said in a statement. “These crises have destabilized our suppliers, directly impacting our supplies, production, and development.”

However, Dassault also said that except for a slowdown near the end of the year, the business jet market was strong during 2022, which helped drive orders for its Falcon jets. The company also benefited from military orders for its Rafale fighter that accounted for much of its record order volume by year’s end.

Dassault said orders totaled $22.17 billion in 2022 compared with $12.78 billion a year earlier. Military orders accounted for $18.53 billion of the 2022 total and $9.70 billion in 2021.

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Delta Air Lines has added 30 incremental A321neo aircraft to its existing order book with Airbus. The A321neo is Delta’s most fuel-efficient large-gauge narrowbody aircraft.

“Adding these aircraft strengthens Delta’s commitment to replacing older fleets with more sustainable, fuel-efficient jets, and offers the best customer experience in the industry,” Mahendra Nair, Delta’s senior vice president of fleet and techops supply chain said in a statement.

“Delta appreciates the extensive partnership with the Airbus team in support of our strategic growth plans, and we look forward to continuing to work together throughout the recovery and in the years ahead.”

Nuts and Bolts

The A321neo is powered by next-generation Pratt & Whitney PW1100G turbofan engines, which achieve 12 percent better fuel efficiency on a per-seat basis than the A321ceo aircraft. The engines will be maintained by Delta TechOps technicians at its advanced maintenance, repair and overhaul facilities in Atlanta.

For the pilots, the flight deck and operating procedures for the A321ceo are identical to the A318, A319 and A320, and can be flown under a single type rating.

“Our partners at Delta are underscoring the strategic role the A321neo will play as the highly efficient platform for Delta’s renowned customer service and reliability for many years into the future,” Christian Scherer, Airbus chief commercial officer, said in a statement.

Delta is converting purchase rights for the aircraft into firm orders under its existing A321neo purchase agreement with Airbus. It follows a similar transaction in April, when Delta and Airbus converted 25 A321neo purchase rights into firm orders and added 25 incremental A321neo options.

In total, Delta now has 288 aircraft purchase commitments, including both widebody and narrowbody jets.

Delta expects to take delivery of its first A321neo in the first half of 2022, with deliveries of these aircraft continuing through 2027. Many of Delta’s A321neos will be delivered from the Airbus U.S. manufacturing facility in Mobile, Alabama. The airline has taken delivery of 87 U.S.-manufactured Airbus aircraft since 2016.

What Passengers Will See

Delta’s A321neos will be equipped with total seating for 194 customers with 20 in first class, 42 in Delta Comfort+ and 132 in the main cabin. The new aircraft will be deployed across Delta’s extensive domestic network, complementing the airline’s existing Airbus A321ceo fleet of 121 aircraft.

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Piper Aircraft announced on Monday that it had secured an order for 20 of its Pilot 100i single-engine trainers for flyGateway Aviation Institute, a flight training organization based in Pennsylvania and Delaware.

The order was placed during EAA AirVenture 2021.

The school, an affiliate of Liberty University, will take delivery of the first 14 aircraft in January 2022, with the other six units accepted later in the year.

With four locations across two states, flyGateway says it’s the largest training organization operating under Part 141 in the region.

“We are extremely excited to work with one of the premier flight schools in the Northeast,” said Hans Stancil, fleet sales director for North America for Piper, in a press release. “Their commitment to providing exceptional flight training that is accessible and more affordable is very well aligned with Piper’s mission and commitment to the training industry.”

“The Pilot 100i greatly increases our ability to deliver training efficiently and cost-effectively while working to cultivate an unmatched pilot pipeline for the airline industry,” said Regis de Ramel, board chairman for flyGateway.

The Pilot 100i gained FAA type certificate approval in December 2020 and deliveries began that month.

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Cape Air confirmed its plans to take delivery of 10 Tecnam P2012 Travellers in 2021, to add to the 20 aircraft already entered into the regional airline’s fleet. The airline took its first delivery of the light commuter twin—set to replace the company’s venerable Cessna 402s—in October 2019, shortly after its FAA certification.

Cape Air has plans for similar delivery schedules in 2022 and 2023, anticipating that it will add 10 aircraft each year as it builds its fleet towards the 100 units it agreed to in 2019. Tecnam and Cape Air have worked closely together throughout the P2012′s development to ensure that it would meet the needs of the airline—including its sustainability goals. The fixed-gear, nine-passenger Traveller is powered by two FADEC-actuated Lycoming TEO540C1A engines that have the capability of using alternative aviation fuels. Upfront, the panel features the Garmin G1000 NXi with one 14-inch and two 10-inch displays.

“Cape Air’s employees, customers and communities are delighted to experience our fleet replacement with the Tecnam P2012 Traveller,” said Dan Wolf, Cape Air’s founder and CEO. “Modern, efficient, and reliable, the Tecnam Traveller will serve our needs for years to come. The support and collaboration from our partners at Tecnam has been extraordinary.”

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Blue Line Aviation, of North Carolina, has ordered 50 new DA40 NGs and DA42-IVs, and a Diamond Simulator, with an option for up to 50 additional aircraft. The company is celebrating its eighth anniversary, and it already has 16 aircraft on the flight line—with 10 DA40 NGs and two DA42-IVs in service.

“I’m thankful to everyone that has played a part in making Blue Line what it is today. We couldn’t have done it without the hard work of our staff, students, and friends at Diamond Aircraft,” said Trey Walters, the CEO and founder of Blue Line. “Currently, we train approximately 40 full time students at a time in our 5.5-month career pilot course. We expect to triple that, or more, with the new aircraft and recently announced full student financing.” Blue Line’s financing partners are Climb Credit and Skybound, and loans can cover not only flight and ground training but also housing, supplies, and testing fees.

Blue Line has started construction on a $16-million headquarters at Johnston Regional Airport (KJNX) to add to its bases at Raleigh (KRDU) and Morrisville, North Carolina (KMVL). The company anticipates moving into the 50,000-sq-ft hangar space at Johnston at some point during 2021.

“The timing of this aircraft order marks a significant milestone for Blue Line Aviation,” said Scott McFadzean, CEO of Diamond Aircraft Industries Inc. “We have followed the tremendous growth of this operation very closely and are impressed with their laser-focused vision towards the future during this pandemic, which has caused a drastic shift in short-term pilot demand in the industry.”

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