La Rochelle (France), 12/19/2023
As part of its strong growth and in order to continue certifying these aircraft, Elixir Aircraft has announced the internalization of its airworthiness department. Previously carried out externally, airworthiness is now handled in-house, with the recruitment of Anthony Chauveau and Jonas Dauwe as Airworthiness Manager and Airworthiness Engineer respectively.
Left: Anthony Chauveau. Right, Jonas Dauwe.
Airworthiness is the ability of an aircraft to fly safely, with respect to :
- Its occupants
- Other aircraft and,
- People overflown
The mission of the airworthiness department is to ensure that the aircraft flies safely throughout all its life phases.
Anthony Chauveau, a navigability manager who loves versatility
Anthony studied Mechanical Engineering and Design at the Technlogy University of Belfort Montbéliard (UTBM). After graduating in 2017, he was hired by CEAPR (Centre Est Aéronautique Pierre Robin – the company that owns the intellectual rights to ROBIN aircraft) in June 2017 as an airworthiness and design engineer. Here, he was able to carry out projects in their entirety, including design, certification, methods, industrialization, quality, documentation and so on. It was a very rewarding and exciting time for Anthony. As production rates and development needs increased, he gradually climbed the ladder to become airworthiness manager and head of the design office, while retaining the versatility he cherishes.
“Having reached one of the highest levels in my previous experience, and not wanting to rest on my laurels, I wanted a change of scenery and to discover new perspectives, while putting my skills and know-how to good use in the service of a company on a human scale and on the way up, where I could rediscover a family atmosphere and a product worth fighting for. My natural choice was Elixir Aircraft”, says Anthony. Chauveau.
Jonas Dauwe, an airworthiness engineer with solid experience
After obtaining a double degree in Aeronautical Engineering from ISAE-ENSMA / INSA in 2017, Jonas began his career at NYCO (Consumables for Aeronautics and Defense) as Program Project Manager. He was able to build up solid experience in the aeronautics industry by leading numerous qualification projects for major European OEMs (Safran, GE, Airbus, Honeywell, KMW among others).
To get closer to the aircraft, he moved from “qualification” to “certification”, working in the H160 airworthiness center at Airbus Helicopters in Marignane.
“The Elixir Aircraft project will enable future pilots to train on a modern, economical and reliable aircraft. With today’s environmental challenges, and as a private pilot, these arguments motivated me to join the adventure and contribute my skills on a broader spectrum this time! “says Jonas Dauwe.
Internalizing the airworthiness department is therefore a major step forward for the La Rochelle-based aircraft manufacturer, which, having passed a milestone by obtaining certification for its Elixir Full Glass Cockpit, is now working on obtaining FAA certification for the Elixir in the United States.
About Elixir Aircraft
Elixir Aircraft, a company headquartered in La Rochelle, France, with over 140 employees, was created in 2015 to meet the challenges of Global light aviation.
The objective of the French company: to make safer, more economical and more versatile aircraft. Complexity is the reason why current aircraft suffer from failures (technical or human), and are expensive to operate (consumption and maintenance). Elixir Aircraft employs a technology from the world of competitive sailing, the Carbon Oneshot, to simplify the structures. More simplicity means less failure, therefore more safety, but also less maintenance, and less costs (estimates of 60$/h of fuel and maintenance) …
At the end of 2021, Elixir Aircraft opened a new production site in Périgny, Charente Maritime, to internalize the entire production of carbon parts.
Elixir Aircraft is a member of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA).
Elixir Aircraft in figures
- 4th generation two-seater aircraft certified EASA CS-23
- 140 employees, including 90 new hires since the first quarter of 2021
- 2 productions sites in France, one of 23000 square ft, the other of 9000 square
- +80 aircraft on firm order
- +200 aircraft pre-ordered
About the Elixir Aircraft 100HP
The Elixir 100HP is the latest in safety, economy, and technology. Elixir Aircraft offers an aircraft that covers all the needs of a modern flight school while reducing carbon emissions by nearly 70% compared to other old generation aircraft. The standard flight training organization configuration includes a full Garmin avionics suite and are built to withstand the rigors of flight training. Standard safety equipment include: spin resistance; ballistic parachute, AoA indicator; double slotted electric flaps; explosion resistance fuel tank and Reinforced oleo-pneumatic landing gear and combined nose wheel, wide track and low center of gravity minimize bounced landings associated with loss of control accidents and runway excursions. The 912iS is powered by the low noise 100 hp Rotax offers with a fuel consumption of around three gallons per hour.
