Industrial Automation Magazine India

Ascendance Flight Technologies announces first LoI for hybrid-electric Vtol Atea

Published on : Monday 25-07-2022

For Ascendance Flight Technologies, these technical choices are the safest and fastest solution to move towards a new, cleaner and more sustainable air mobility.

Toulouse, France – July 2022 – Ascendance Flight Technologies, the French start-up specializing in low-carbon aviation, has opened its order book. It has received its first purchase intentions from operators in the US, Asia and Europe for a total of 245 units of Atea, its five-seat hybrid-electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft. These Letters of Intent (LOI) confirm the sector's interest in the hybrid technology, endurance and versatility of the aircraft. Atea is a low carbon alternative to the helicopter, intended for regional use, and will go into production in 2025.

Hybrid-electric technology and distributed propulsion: for Ascendance Flight Technologies, these technical choices are the safest and fastest solution to move towards a new, cleaner and more sustainable air mobility. They are the centerpiece to its strategy and the development of its high-performance solutions dedicated to a new generation of aviation: Atea, a multi-use hybrid-electric aircraft and Sterna, its patented modular hybrid propulsion system. With its focus on decentralized aviation or decarbonisation of existing aircraft, Ascendance anticipates and develops agile solutions that will impact the future of mobility. Since its founding in 2018, the young company has steadily and rigorously met several key milestones of its ambitious development schedule.

"Our project to decarbonize aviation had to be anchored in reality," stresses Jean-Christophe Lambert, co-founder and CEO of Ascendance. "We built it around the cornerstones of our industry, which are safety, efficiency, resilience, comfort and cost effectiveness. These imperatives are at the heart of our customers' demands and guide our innovations. With Atea, we can now offer our customers an easier transition to a low-carbon fleet, with high-performance, competitive aircraft available at very short notice.”

Both aircraft and engine manufacturer, Ascendance Flight Technologies designs solutions in response to the concrete expectations of the aviation industry’s players and users. This aim is reflected in the design and architecture of Atea, which has convinced demanding customers across three continents. The Letters of Intent registered today reflect the suitability of Ascendance solutions to the operational needs and business model of players with varied profiles: helicopter operator, air carrier, aircraft charterer or cargo specialist. While further negotiations are still underway, Ascendance is pleased to announce that 6 companies have signed LOIs for 245 Atea.