French aviation startup Ascendance Flight Technologies is officially open for orders and has already received a flurry of letters of intent (LOI) from operators across the Americas, Asia, and Europe for a total of 245 units.

All new orders

EvyFly, FlyShare, HeliFirst, Jet Systems Helicoptéres Services, PhilJets Group, and Yugo are set to be the first customers for the company’s hybrid-electric VTOL aircraft Atea, slated to start production in 2025. The company reports that further negotiations with other companies are underway.

Atea is a low-carbon helicopter alternative with five seats; the aircraft is intended for regional use, with company bosses stressing the vital place it has within the future of clean and sustainable air travel.

“Ascendance’s proposal is conclusive: they offer a carbon-free aircraft adapted to a wide range of routes, uses, and needs, which is what we are looking for in the highly competitive and constantly changing market in which we operate,” noted Geoffrey Cahen, head of sales and marketing for PhilJets.

“We serve a wide range of needs across the 7,000-island Philippine archipelago, from charter flights to tourist flights, medical evacuations, and on-site professional transportation. The distinction was also due to Atea’s technological capabilities and Ascendance’s willingness to include us in the development process”.

Named after a Polynesian deity of light, Atea features an eccentric design, with fans built directly into the wings, set to reduce carbon emissions by 80% compared to typical helicopter designs. The “fan-in-wing” style enables Atea’s VTOL feature; though, the aircraft also boasts an additional propellor in the nose and tail, with Ascendance referring to the design as a “Lift+Cruise” system, or Sterna.

Going green

The hybrid-electric technology and distributed propulsions are stated to be the safest and fastest selection for air carriers moving towards cleaner and sustainable air mobility. Atea has become Ascendance’s centerpiece within its current strategy for developing high-performance aviation solutions.

“Our project to decarbonize aviation had to be anchored in reality. We built it around the cornerstones of our industry, which are safety, efficiency, resilience, comfort and cost effectiveness,” added CEO and co-founder Jean-Christophe Lambert.

“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 a high-performance, competitive aircraft available at very short notice.”

The company is seeing the influx of LOI as a strong indicator of Atea’s importance within sustainable aviation, with Ascendance’s consistent meeting of crucial development milestones building good relationships with its customers.

“Atea’s performances and assets have struck a chord with these customers, as they offer a tailor-made response to their operational needs,” explained co-founder and CCO Thibault Baldivia. “We are now working closely with future users to ensure that the aircraft, once delivered, is perfectly adapted to their markets, their customers and their business model.”

Delivery of Ascendance’s upcoming facilities at Muret-Lherm airfield and a full-scale Atea prototype is anticipated in 2023, while demonstration flights will launch in time for the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

What are your thoughts on Ascendance’s Atea VTOL? What companies or carriers would you like to see ordering the aircraft? Let us know in the comments.