Skyborne Airline Academy has signed a letter of intent for 30 Bye Aerospace eFlyer aircraft, increasing its total commitment to 40 aircraft. The pilot training school, with facilities in Vero Beach, Florida and Gloucester airport in the UK, placed the original order for six eFlyer 2 and four eFlyer 4 all-electric aircraft back in July 2020.

CEO Lee Woodward says: "Our partnership with Bye Aerospace reflects the pioneering spirit of Skyborne and our constant drive to redefine pilot training for the better. By investing in Bye's eFlyer aircraft, we will reduce our impact on the environment and support our airline partners with their sustainability goals. We're proud to expand our order arrangement and look forward to seeing the eFlyer at Skyborne."

Bye Aerospace president Rod Zastrow adds: "Skyborne is an internationally respected flight school, and this additional order is another tremendous endorsement of our product. It builds on the excellent momentum we've gained in 2023. We are thrilled to kick off 2024 alongside the aviation training leader Skyborne."

The eFlyer series incorporates cutting-edge all-electric propulsion technology and a purpose-designed airframe offering up to 80 per cent lower flight operating costs compared to traditional trainers. This allows flight training organisations like Skyborne to deliver training without the burden of excessive fuel expenses, no carbon, no lead and minimal noise. The advanced aerodynamics, coupled with a robust yet lightweight composite structure, ensure unmatched performance, safety and efficiency.

Bye Aerospace says it is significantly ahead of other electric aircraft programmes in this class in terms of design, performance and certification. It intends to produce serial number 001 in the next 12 months, followed by full FAA certification in 2025, with customer deliveries to immediately follow.

This latest order brings the eFlyer 2 and eFlyer 4 aircraft order book to 889 units, valued at an estimated $570 million.