2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

The December 19 announcement by public charter operator JSX that it will renew and expand its fleet with up to 332 hybrid-electric aircraft potentially marks one of the biggest decarbonization initiatives in commercial air transport to date. The agreements with three manufacturers—Electra, Aura Aero, and Heart Aerospace—include aircraft seating between 9 and 30 passengers, which JSX feels could be the start of a step-change in regional air services across the U.S.
The three agreements include&nbsp;a letter of intent with Electra for 82 of its nine-passenger eSTOL aircraft (32 firm orders and 50 options), up to 150 of Aura Aero’s 19-seat Era model (50 firm plus 100 options), and up to 100 of Heart Aerospace’s 30-seat ES-30 (50 firm and 50 options). According to JSX, it aims to start operating the first of the new aircraft in 2028, without saying which of the three new types will be delivered first.
Also undisclosed for now, are the financial terms for the three provisional sales agreements and whether any deposits have been paid. The three manufacturers have yet to confirm list prices for their aircraft, but the total value of all 332 potential purchases is likely to be considerably more than $2 billion. It is unclear how JSX intends to finance these transactions, and whether any leasing arrangements might be involved.
The Texas-based company’s fleet currently includes 48 of Embraer’s 30-seat ERJ145 aircraft, providing up to 120 public charter flights daily under DOT Part 380 and FAR Part 135 rules to 24 U.S. destinations. Its flights generally operate from private aviation terminals, separate from the main commercial airline terminals at airports.
In October, JSX pushed back against a notice from the FAA that it intends to rethink what services it will permit under Part 380 charter rules. This comes after sustained <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/air-transport/2023-10-05/battle-airlines-jsx-appeals-support">protests from Part 121 scheduled airlines</a>. In Tuesday’s announcement, the operator pointed to last week’s call by the Biden Administration for the air transport industry to cut carbon emissions and create new jobs as evidence of political support for investments in electric aviation technology.
<article class="align-center media media--type-image media--view-mode-default">
 
 
 <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/futureflight/import/JSX%20Hybrid%20Electric%20Route%20Map.png" width="7194" height="4250" alt="JSX's planned U.S. route map for hybrid-electric aircraft">

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 <div class="field field--name-field-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">JSX plans to significantly expand its services to smaller U.S. cities with its new hybrid-electric aircraft (Image: JSX) </div>
 
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"Today's order of hybrid-electric aircraft exemplifies our commitment to achievable, customer-friendly, carbon-reducing solutions that will offer the lower costs essential to providing vital air service to smaller communities across the country," said JSX CEO and co-founder Alex Wilcox. "As the network airlines order ever-larger aircraft it is inevitable that more and more small markets will be abandoned. Electra, Aura Aero, and Heart Aerospace are visionary organizations that share in JSX's commitment to serving smaller communities, working together with us to weave sustainable regional air travel back into the fabric of American commerce and freedom of movement."
In April 2021, JSX signed a letter of intent with California start-up Odys Aviation covering provisional orders for 200 of its nine-passenger hybrid-electric aircraft, plus options for 400 more. The current status of <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2022-02-11/odys-secures-funding-develop-hybrid-blown-wing-evtol-aircraft">this agreement</a> is not known.&nbsp;
In May, French start-up <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2023-06-21/aura-aero-scores-new-orders-hybrid-electric-airliner">Aura Aero</a>&nbsp;unveiled the design for the ERA (which stands for electric regional aircraft) and said that the design for the aircraft is now frozen. This will feature eight electric motors, a pair of turbogenerators, and four battery packs, and it has a projected range of up to 1,000 miles.
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 <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/futureflight/import/ERA-JSX-%C2%A9AURA%20AERO.png" width="2250" height="1500" alt="Aura Aero's 19-seat Electric Regional Aircraft">

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 <div class="field field--name-field-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">France-based Aura Aero is developing the 19-seat Electric Regional Aircraft (Image: Aura Aero)</div>
 
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Sweden’s Heart Aerospace expects the <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2022-09-15/heart-unveils-plans-30-seat-electric-regional-airliner-new-backers">ES-30</a> to have a hybrid-electric range of 250 miles, which would decrease to 125 miles&nbsp;when flying solely on battery power or increase to 500 miles&nbsp;when carrying just 25 passengers. The Swedish company says it now holds 250 firm orders, plus options and purchase rights for 120 more and letters of intent covering another 191 units.
Virginia-based <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2023-11-20/electra-starts-flight-tests-hybrid-electric-stol-technology-demonstrator">Electra</a>&nbsp;is developing a blown-wing design that it says will allow the aircraft to use landing sites as compact as 300 by 100 feet. Its unnamed aircraft is expected to have a range of up to 500 miles. In November, the company started flight-testing a sub-scale technology demonstrator called the EL-2 Goldfinch. Its backlog of firm orders and commitments for more than 1,800 aircraft also includes operators such as helicopter group Bristow.
<article class="align-center media media--type-image media--view-mode-default">
 
 
 <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/futureflight/import/JSX%20Electra.png" width="1970" height="1100" alt="Electra's nine-passenger eSTOL aircraft">

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 <div class="field field--name-field-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Electra’s nine-passenger eSTOL aircraft uses a blown-wing design to be able to land and take off from no more than 300 feet of runway. (Image: Electra)</div>
 
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Managing Editor

Charles Alcock

Charter Operator JSX Says It Will Buy a Trio of Hybrid-Electric Aircraft

Malmö Airport in southern Sweden is to be used as a test site for Heart Aerospace’s ES-30 hybrid-electric airliner. Airports group Swedavia said the facility will be used to conduct taxiing and charging tests using a full-scale model of the 30-seat aircraft as part of the third stage of Sweden’s Elise project to support a transition to electric and hydrogen-powered aviation.
Under an agreement announced late on July 7, the latest phase of Elise is backed by a new SEK 20 million ($1.9 million) grant from Swedish innovation agency Vinnova. The project will also involve airlines SAS and Braathens, as well as Swedish battery developer Northvolt. 
Initial work started in May and will run through April 2025, with the f<a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2022-09-15/heart-unveils-plans-30-seat-electric-regional-airliner-new-backers">ull-scale model ES-30</a> expected to arrive in Malmö at a later date. Heart Aerospace is building the model at its headquarters in Gothenburg. It will use a separate full-scale prototype when it begins flight testing in 2026 as it works towards planned type certification and service entry in 2028. 
The Elise project started in 2018 with the expressed intention of supporting the development of a Swedish-made electric aircraft. Heart Aerospace started this process when it was founded in 2018&nbsp;with its plans for an all-electric ES-19 airliner. Then in September 2022, the company said that feedback from prospective airline customers had prompted it to switch to a plan for a larger aircraft with a hybrid-electric propulsion system, including a pair of turbogenerators and four electric motors, to support longer-range flights.
<h3 class="subheading">Hybrid-Power Means Longer Range For Regional Airline Flights</h3>
The ES-30 model is expected to offer operators an all-electric range of 200 km (125 miles), with an extended full-payload range of twice that distance and the potential for longer hybrid-powered flights to 800 km (500 miles) with 25 passengers on board, taking account of standard airline fuel reserves. Prospective customers for the aircraft include Air Canada, United Airlines, Icelandair, Braathens, SAS, New Zealand-based Sounds Air, and Sweden-based leasing group Rockton. 
Other organizations involved in the Elise project include Swedish regional airports trade organization Sveriges Regionala Flygplatser, the Research Institutes of Sweden, Bromma Air Maintenance, and Sweden’s civil aviation administration and transport agency. Swedavia has previously conducted a case study for electric aircraft to operate between other airports in its network, including Umeå and <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2020-10-05/airports-sweden-and-norway-offer-testbed-electric-aircraft-developers">Åre Östersund</a>, and electric charging stations have already been installed there in addition to <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2021-10-01/electric-aircraft-charging-stations-open-swedens-visby-airport">Visby Airport</a>.
Heart Aerospace, which has established an electric aviation development hub at Gothenburg’s Säve Airport, is also working with<a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2023-03-31/bae-develop-battery-system-hearts-es-30-hybrid-electric-regional-airliner"> BAE Systems </a>on longer-term plans for the ES-30’s battery system. Other program partners now include avionics supplier Garmin, aerostructures specialist Aernnova, and Swedish aerospace group Saab.
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Sweden's Malmö Airport to Host Ground Testing For Heart's ES-30 Hybrid-Electric Regional Airliner

Heart Aerospace has enlisted BAE Systems to help it define the battery system for its planned ES-30 hybrid-electric regional airliner. The Swedish start-up says it is targeting a power density of 330 Wh/kg as part of a propulsion system that will combine four battery-driven electric motors with a pair of as-yet-unspecified turbogenerators.
Heart unveiled its development of&nbsp;the 30-seat model<a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2022-09-15/heart-unveils-plans-30-seat-electric-regional-airliner-new-backers">&nbsp;in September 2022</a>&nbsp;when it announced the <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/aircraft-program/heart-electric-airliner">ES-30</a> as an alternative to a previously planned&nbsp;19-passenger, <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2020-09-23/heart-aerospace-advances-plans-es-19-electric-regional-airliner">all-electric ES-19 aircraft</a>. After consulting with prospective customers, including Air Canada, the company opted for a hybrid-electric powertrain to give operators the option of more range while meeting reserve energy requirements. The new model is expected to offer carriers an all-electric range of 200 kilometers&nbsp;(125 miles), with an extended full-payload range of twice that distance and the potential for longer hybrid-powered flights to 800 kilometers (500 miles) with 25 passengers, taking account of standard airline fuel reserves.
BAE Systems is joining other ES-30 program partners, including Swedish aerospace group Saab, avionics supplier Garmin, and aerostructures specialist Aernnova. Its contribution will be made by the UK-based group’s Controls and Avionics Solutions operation in upstate New York, which has more than 25 years of experience electrifying large, heavy-duty industrial vehicles with over 15,000 power and propulsion systems in service worldwide.
Early design drawings for the ES-30 show a large compartment in the lower fuselage that will be used to carry the batteries. Another difference from the earlier ES-19 design is the new spars connecting the wing to the fuselage.
<figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center">
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 <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/futureflight/import/bae_heart_battery-pack_2.png" width="5760" height="3240" alt="Heart Aerospace and BAE Systems are jointly developing battery packs for the ES-30 aircraft." title="Heart Aerospace and BAE Systems are jointly developing battery packs for the ES-30 aircraft.">

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 <div class="field field--name-field-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Heart Aerospace and BAE Systems are jointly developing battery packs for the ES-30 aircraft.</div>
 
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<figcaption>Heart Aerospace and BAE Systems are jointly developing battery packs for the ES-30 aircraft.</figcaption>
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“BAE Systems’ extensive experience in developing batteries for heavy-duty ground applications, and their experience in developing safety critical control systems for aerospace make them an ideal partner for this important next step for the ES-30 and for the aviation industry,” said Heart’s chief operating officer, Sofia Graflund. “We look forward to decarbonizing air travel together.”
To date, Heart says, it holds provisional sales agreements&nbsp;for 230 of the ES-30, with 100 options and letters of intent for an additional 108 units. Among the prospective operators for the aircraft the company intends to start delivering in 2028 are Air Canada and United Airlines. Letters of intent have been signed by Swedish leasing group Rockton and Portuguese <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2022-10-14/heart-collects-commitment-six-es-30-electric-airplanes-portugals-sevenair">regional carrier Sevenair</a>.
Heart is building extensive facilities for advancing electric aviation technology at Gothenburg’s Säve Airport. The new Northern Runway campus will accommodate the company’s offices, production, and flight test facilities and&nbsp;provide space for partner companies in new sustainable buildings. The facility is part of a larger Gateway Säve development owned by the Castellum group.

BAE To Develop Battery System for Heart's ES-30 Hybrid-electric Regional Airliner

Swedish electric airplane maker Heart Aerospace and the government of Åland on Thursday said they will collaborate on the deployment of Heart’s hybrid-electric regional airliner, the ES-30, on the Baltic Sea group of islands.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Åland is an autonomous part of Finland with a Swedish-speaking population. It sits in the Baltic Sea between two expansive economic regions, the south of Finland and the Stockholm region on Sweden’s east coast.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Åland’s capital, Mariehamn, lies less than 150 kilometers (93 miles) from the Swedish capital, Stockholm, and Finland’s third-largest city, Turku, and less than 300 kilometers from Finland’s capital, Helsinki, and second-largest city, Tampere. 
“This is a significant step in the development of the ES-30 as it allows us to focus on the operating infrastructure required in support of zero-emissions flying out of Mariehamn,” said Heart Aerospace chief commercial officer Simon Newitt. “We look forward to working together with the government of Åland to make this a reality.” 
Powered by electric motors with battery-derived energy, the ES-30 design provides for a standard seating capacity of 30 passengers and specifies a fully electric zero-emissions range of 200 kilometers, an extended range of 400 kilometers with a full passenger load, and flexibility to fly up to 800 kilometers with 25 passengers.&nbsp;&nbsp;
With a population of 30,000 people, Åland has a thriving business community with more than 2,800 enterprises, three of which are publicly traded.&nbsp;
“Åland has had a positive population trend for the past 50 years and continues to grow each year,” said Fredrik Karlström, Minister for Trade and Industry for the government of Åland.&nbsp;“As an island community, our flight connections are vital to us, but so is our environment. That is why quiet, zero-emission electric flights are highly interesting to us.” 
Airlines now provide Åland with three flight connections, from Mariehamn to Stockholm and to Turku and Helsinki on the Finnish mainland.
Last September, Heart unveiled the design for the hybrid-electric 30-seat ES-30 as a replacement for the planned all-electric, 19-seat ES-19 model the Swedish startup unveiled&nbsp;in 2020. During a September 15 event at Heart’s Gothenburg headquarters, Air Canada and Swedish aerospace and defense group Saab each committed to investing $5 million in the venture.
Heart also plans to build facilities for advancing electric aviation technology at Gothenburg’s Säve Airport. The Northern Runway campus will accommodate the company’s offices, production, and flight test facilities, as well as provide space for partner companies in new sustainable buildings.
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Senior Editor

Gregory Polek

Heart Aerospace Partners with Finnish Islands on Deployment of ES-30 Hybrid-Electric Regional Airplane

Heart Aerospace and Portuguese airline Sevenair have signed a letter of intent (LOI) covering the purchase of three electric ES-30s and an option for three more. With the expression of interest from Sevenair, the Swedish electric airplane manufacturer&nbsp;has collected commitments for the purchase of 230 ES-30s, options for 100, and LOIs for a further 99 of the 30-seat model it <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2022-09-15/heart-unveils-plans-30-seat-electric-regional-airliner-new-backers">launched in September</a>.
Sevenair serves on Heart’s industry advisory board, representing airlines, leasing companies, and airports worldwide. Specializing in public-service operations and wet-lease contracts, the airline operates seven routes in Portugal, all of which the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/aircraft-program/es-30">ES-30</a> can cover with its 250-nm extended range, based on the use of a hybrid-electric propulsion system.
“We believe the ES-30 will be a game changer for the short-distance regional flights, offering low noise and no emissions,” said Sevenair chief commercial officer Alexandre Alves. “These features combined with the possibility of decreasing operating costs heavily impacted by fuel and maintenance will allow any airline operating the aircraft to offer new routes that before were not viable and expand the regional air connectivity to a broader spectrum of passengers.” 
In mid-September, Heart Aerospace replaced the 19-seat <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2022-06-21/heart-switches-cs-25-certification-plan-es-19-electric-regional-airliner">ES-19 model</a>, announced in 2020, with the ES-30. During a September 15 event at Heart’s Gothenburg headquarters, Air Canada and Swedish aerospace and defense group Saab each committed to investing $5 million in the venture.
Air Canada also placed a provisional order for 30 of the ES-30s, which Heart says will fly with four battery-driven electric motors and, now, a pair of turbo generators to meet reserve energy requirements&nbsp;“without cannibalizing range.”
The new model would offer an all-electric range of 125 nm, an extended full-payload range of twice that distance, and the potential for longer, hybrid-powered flights reaching 500 nm with 25 passengers on board, taking account of standard airline fuel reserves.
Heart has released few details about the new design and which of the existing program partners, including avionics supplier Garmin and aerostructures specialist&nbsp;<a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2021-11-30/heart-appoints-aernnova-design-partner-es-19-electric-airliner" target="_blank">Aernnova</a>, will remain involved with the relaunched electric airliner&nbsp;program. It has not revealed, for instance, the source of the two new turbogenerators.
Drawings of the ES-30 show the addition of a large compartment in the lower fuselage for carrying batteries and new spars connecting the wing to the fuselage.

Heart Collects Commitment for Up to Six ES-30 electric airplanes from Portugal’s Sevenair

Heart Aerospace has doubled down on its plans to bring an electric regional airliner to market, unveiling a design for a 30-seat ES-30 model, which&nbsp;will replace the 19-seat ES-19 model the Swedish start-up announced in 2020. During a September 15 event at Heart’s Gothenburg headquarters, Air Canada and Swedish aerospace and defense group Saab each committed to investing $5 million in the venture.
Air Canada also placed a provisional order for 30 of the ES-30s, which Heart says will be powered mainly by four battery-driven electric motors, but now bolstered by a pair of turbo generators to meet reserve energy requirements&nbsp;“without cannibalizing range.” The new model is expected to offer carriers an all-electric range of 200 km (125 miles), with an extended full-payload range of twice that distance and the potential for longer hybrid-powered flights to 800 km (500 miles) with 25 passengers on board, taking account of standard airline fuel reserves.
So far, Heart has released few details about the new design and which of the existing program partners, including avionics supplier Garmin and aerostructures specialist <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2021-11-30/heart-appoints-aernnova-design-partner-es-19-electric-airliner">Aernnova</a>, will remain involved with the relaunched electric airliner&nbsp;program. It has not stated, for instance, where it will source the two new turbogenerators.
Among the most obvious changes from the design of&nbsp;the <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/aircraft-program/es-19?model=heart-es-19">ES-19</a>&nbsp;is a large additional compartment in the lower fuselage that seems likely to be for carrying batteries. Drawings also reveal new spars connecting the wing to the fuselage.
<a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2021-07-13/united-airlines-backs-hearts-electric-regional-airliner-investment-and">United Airlines</a> and its Mesa Air regional partner, which previously committed&nbsp;to buying up to 300 ES-19s, have now opted to take the larger ES-30 in its place. According to Heart, several other prospective customers that signed earlier letters of intent (LOI) for the 19-seater have also said they will take the new model. These companies include Braathens Regional Airlines, Icelandair, SAS, and New Zealand-based Sounds Air.
Swedish leasing group Rockton has signed an LOI for 40 ES-90s. Heart notes that it now has&nbsp;96 commitments for the electric airliner, which the company says will enter service in 2028—two years later than the date projected for the <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2022-06-21/heart-switches-cs-25-certification-plan-es-19-electric-regional-airliner">ES-19</a>.
This week’s announcement did not specify what role Saab might have in the development and production work for the new aircraft. The group has a long heritage of building regional aircraft, such as the Saab 340 and 2000 twin turboprops.
“We are thrilled to have two such strong partners as Saab and Air Canada join our mission to electrify regional air travel,” said Heart Aerospace founder and CEO Anders Forslund. “Saab is synonymous with aerospace, and our partnership will not only support our program but help us to become a part of the proud Swedish aerospace heritage. Air Canada is a strategically important partner with one of the world’s largest networks operated by regional turboprops, and a progressive, future-leaning company.”
Heart also announced plans to build extensive facilities for advancing electric aviation technology at Gothenburg’s Säve Airport. The new Northern Runway campus will accommodate the company’s offices, production, and flight test facilities, as well as provide space for partner companies in new sustainable buildings. The facility is part of a larger Gateway Säve development owned by the Castellum group. 
<figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center">
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 <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/futureflight/import/ITF_Intergrated_Test_Facility_Heart_Aerospace_02.jpeg" width="5757" height="4317" alt="Heart Aerospace is developing an electric aviation development center in Gothenburg, Sweden." title="Heart Aerospace is developing an electric aviation development center in Gothenburg, Sweden, as part of a plan to develop its 30-seat ES-30 regional airliner. (Image: Heart)">

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 <div class="field field--name-field-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Heart Aerospace is developing an electric aviation development center in Gothenburg, Sweden, as part of a plan to develop its 30-seat ES-30 regional airliner. (Image: Heart)</div>
 
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<figcaption>Heart Aerospace is building an electric aviation development center in Gothenburg, Sweden, as part of a plan to develop its 30-seat ES-30 regional airliner. (Image: Heart)</figcaption>
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“Gothenburg has distinguished itself as a driving force within electrification, with world-class research facilities like the Swedish electric transport laboratory, SEEL, Chalmers University of Technology, and a large cluster of companies focused on battery and electric vehicle development,” said Heart’s chief operating officer, Sofia Graflund. “The ambition that Castellum and the city of Gothenburg have for Gateway Säve is truly unique and that is why we have decided to establish a new industry here.” 
Heart employs 130 people and expects to expand its workforce to around 500 by 2025. It intends&nbsp;to start test flights with a full-scale ES-30 prototype in 2026.
The company has established an industry advisory board for the ES-30 program, consisting of leaders from airlines, leasing companies, and airports from around the world. In addition to existing customers for the aircraft, Cebu Pacific, Republic Airways, Christchurch Airport, London City Airport, Vmo Aircraft Leasing, and Wellington Airport are represented on the board.

Heart Unveils Plans for 30-seat Electric Regional Airliner with New Backers

Heart Aerospace has altered its strategy for certifying its ES-19 electric regional airliner to seek EASA CS-25 approval instead of continuing with the CS-23 process it began when it launched the program in 2018. The Swedish company says the decision will reduce the regulatory risk and make it easier to deliver the 19-seater to the U.S. market, where it holds provisional orders for up to 300 aircraft from United Airlines and its regional affiliate Mesa.
The European CS-25 rules are closely aligned with the FAA’s 14 CFR Part 25 standards, reducing the burden for Heart to secure concurrent type certification on both sides of the Atlantic. By contrast, aircraft certified under 14 CFR Part 23 rules are not cleared for scheduled commercial airline operations.
In July 2021, <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2021-07-13/united-airlines-backs-hearts-electric-regional-airliner-investment-and">United Airlines </a>and Mesa joined Breakthrough Energy Ventures in supporting a Series A funding round for Heart. The manufacturer has not disclosed the terms of the provisional sales agreement reached with the U.S. carriers or confirmed whether these now constitute firm orders backed by deposits.
The Gothenburg-based start-up aims to bring the <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/aircraft-program/heart-electric-airliner">ES-19</a> to market in 2026. Last year, <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2021-03-26/finnair-signals-plans-electrify-fleet-commitment-hearts-es-19-airliner">Finnair</a> signed a letter of intent covering deliveries of 20 of the aircraft, which is expected to operate on routes of up to around 250 miles.
“The ES-19 started small as a niche product for the Nordic market, but it turns out it has a much more global appeal,” said Heart Aerospace founder and CEO Anders Forslund. “To reach a broader market, we are now taking this big step forward.”
In November 2021, Heart announced that Aernnova will jointly design and develop the ES-19 with its engineering team. The Spanish aerostructures group will work on designs for the wing, fuselage, and empennage.
The aircraft will feature an aluminum airframe with retractable landing gear, a high wing, a T-shaped empennage, and a non-cylindrical fuselage that Heart said will maximize cabin space. Heart has already demonstrated an initial version of its proposed electric propulsion system, which incorporates a 400-kW electric motor, lithium-ion batteries, and a motor controller.
The company said it will announce further details of its certification plans during a “hangar day” event in Gothenburg on September 15.

Heart Switches to CS-25 Certification Plan for ES-19 Electric Regional Airliner

Garmin will provide its G3000 integrated flight deck for the ES-19 electric regional airliner being developed by Heart Aerospace.&nbsp; The Swedish manufacturer this week confirmed the same choice of Garmin avionics suite that Joby Aviation is using for its four-passenger&nbsp;eVTOL aircraft.
The G3000 suite will be fitted into the 19-seater fixed-wing aircraft, which has attracted a conditional order for more than 300 units from 12 scheduled carriers, including United Airlines and Finnair. With a range of 250 miles, the ES-19 is powered entirely by batteries and electric motors and is expected to enter service in 2026.
Headquartered at Gothenburg's Säve Airport, Heart has partnered with Spain’s Aernnova to build the ES-19’s aluminum airframe. The ES-19 features four propulsion units mounted on a high wing, a T-tail empennage, and retractable landing gear.
The G3000 avionics include high-resolution flight displays and touchscreen controllers “that support navigation, communication, and flight sensor solutions and integrates seamlessly into the ES-19 aircraft systems,” according to Garmin. The avionics will be designed “to optimize the aircraft’s electric drive train and battery management systems,” the avionics manufacturer said. Its avionics are also adaptable to accommodate future development of electric aircraft.
“We’re confident in Heart’s practical, market-driven approach to expanding the regional air transport market with the introduction of the first all-electric airliner,” said Carl Wolf, Garmin v-p of aviation and marketing, “whose lower operating costs have the potential to enable more universal access to air travel and a broader network of short-haul flights.”

Heart's Electric Regional Airliner Will Use Garmin Flight Deck

Aernnova will jointly design and develop Heart Aerospace’s ES-19 electric regional airliner. Swedish start-up Heart selected the aerostructures group as a key program partner to step up its efforts to bring the 19-seater to market in 2026.
Aernnova’s engineering team will work with Heart on the design for the wing, fuselage, and empennage of the <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/aircraft-program/heart-electric-airliner">ES-19</a>. The aircraft will feature an aluminum airframe with retractable landing gear, a high wing, a T-shaped empennage and a non-cylindrical fuselage that Heart says will maximize space in the cabin.
According to Heart, the initial production versions of the ES-19 will have a range of just under 250 miles. Last year, the company demonstrated the first version of its proposed electric propulsion system, which incorporates a 400-kW electric motor, lithium-ion batteries, and a motor controller.
Spain-based Aernnova has more than 4,500 employees, with additional locations in the UK, Mexico, the U.S., Brazil, and China. It produces aircraft parts and subassemblies for leading aircraft manufacturers, including Airbus, Boeing, Textron, Embraer, Leonardo, and Sikorsky.
United Airlines is among the leading investors in Heart Aerospace. In July the carrier agreed to purchase up to 200 examples of the ES-19, following in the footsteps of Finnair which in March signed a commitment to add 20 of the aircraft to its fleet.

Heart Appoints Aernnova as Design Partner for ES-19 Electric Airliner

United Airlines Ventures (UAV) and Mesa Air Group are joining Breakthrough Energy Ventures (BEV) to invest in electric aircraft developer Heart Aerospace in a $35 million Series A funding round. The Heart Aerospace ES-19, a 19-seat electric aircraft under development that would fly to a range of 250 miles, will enter service&nbsp;before the end of the decade, according to the Swedish start-up. 
Parent company United Airlines on July 13 said that, along with United Express partner Mesa Airlines, it&nbsp;has conditionally agreed to purchase 200 ES-19s&nbsp; “once the aircraft meet United's safety, business, and operating requirements.” The two operators also hold options for another 100 of the aircraft. Earlier this year, United and Mesa announced plans to add up to&nbsp;200 of Archer's four-passenger eVTOL aircraft to their fleets as part of plans to offer passengers transportation to and from major hub airports.
The commitment from the major U.S. airline group builds on a letter of interest signed by Finnair back in March. The European carrier intends to buy up to 20 of the ES-19 for use on short regional routes. 
With the agreement for Mesa to take the aircraft, Heart Aerospace now has commitments covering more than 400 prospective orders with 13 airlines. Apart from Mesa and Finnair, none of the other carriers have been identified.
UAV has begun building a portfolio of companies concentrating on sustainability concepts and the creation of technologies and products needed to build a carbon-neutral airline and reach United's net-zero greenhouse gas emissions goals. United has committed to completely cutting its greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 without relying on traditional carbon offsets.
Once operational, the ES-19 could operate on more than 100 of United's regional routes out of most of its hubs, the airline said. The routes include Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to&nbsp;Purdue University&nbsp;Airport (LAF) and&nbsp;San Francisco&nbsp;International Airport (SFO) to Modesto City-County Airport (MOD). &nbsp;
"Breakthrough Energy Ventures is the leading voice of investors who are supporting clean-energy technology creation,” said&nbsp;UAV president Michael Leskinen, who also serves as United's vice president of corporate development and investor relations. “We share their view that we have to build companies who have real potential to change how industries operate and, in our case, that means investing in companies like Heart Aerospace who are developing a viable electric airliner.
Mesa, which once laid claim as the largest operator of 19-seat aircraft, completely exited the turboprop market several years ago as their economics became unviable. For example,&nbsp;Farmington, New Mexico, a rural community bordering the&nbsp;Navajo Nation, previously hosted more than 30 daily departures to seven destinations. Today,&nbsp;Farmington&nbsp;has no scheduled passenger service and few 19-seat turboprops operate in scheduled service worldwide. The reduced operating costs of the ES-19 aircraft hold the promise of reopening service to such communities, said Mesa. 
“These technological innovations are good for the environment, will expand the national transportation system, and provide significant growth opportunities for Mesa,” said Mesa Air Group CEO Jonathan Ornstein. “We look forward to reconnecting with communities and passengers we previously served.”
Based in Göteborg,&nbsp;Sweden,&nbsp;Heart Aerospace&nbsp;anticipates delivering the first ES-19 for commercial use by 2026. The company claims the ES-19 aircraft will be quieter than its turboprop counterparts, with less vibration and noise. The low noise at taxi, take-off and landing improves the experience not just for passengers, but also for those who live close to airports.
Earlier seed investors EQT Ventures and Lowercarbon Capital also supported the Series A funding round. "I can't imagine a stronger coalition of partners to advance our mission to electrify short-haul air travel," said Heart Aerospace CEO Anders Forslund. "There's BEV–the world's most influential climate fund. There's United–one of the world's largest airlines, who's poised to be the global leader in decarbonizing air travel, and there's Mesa, the largest operator of 19-seater aircraft in history. The combination of near-term commercial viability and long-term climate investment philosophy is exactly what we need to make commercial electric air travel a reality."
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Heart Aerospace

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