Norway’s Elfly Group this week signed a contract with the European Aviation Safety Agency for development of its Noemi all-electric commercial seaplane prototype.
The Pre-Application Contract (PAC) agreement signed by Elfly founding CEO Eric Lithun and EASA head of sustainability, research and innovation David Solar at the Paris Air Show reinforces the company’s commitment to work closely with the agency toward eventual certification of the aircraft in Europe by 2030. The development follows completion of the Concept-Freeze-Review of the aircraft prototype.
The PAC allows Elfly Group to take initial steps with the agency toward achieving first flight of the full-scale Noemi conceptual prototype aircraft. The agreement covers the entire prototype development process including agreement on flight conditions necessary for the aircraft’s Permit-to-Fly.
The PAC is structured to reflect a type certification process, helping both Elfly and EASA familiarize development and test activities toward the certification target. The contract involves agency review from the beginning of core development activities including Technical Familiarization, Design, Manufacturing, Test activities and eventual agreement on flight conditions for the prototype aircraft.
“We’re pleased to take this important first step with Elfly through the Pre-Application Contract process,” Solar said. “The Noemi project represents an exciting and ambitious vision for the future of sustainable aviation, and we look forward to supporting Elfly as they progress towards a safe and flightworthy prototype.”
Solar added that collaborative early engagement is key to enabling innovative aircraft like Noemi to reach the market safely and in a timely way.
According to Lithun, Noemi will serve as a platform for the future of aviation. “We have a fuselage and wing which outperforms the venerable de Havilland Twin Otter floatplane by a great margin,” he said.
Noemi is designed to be propulsion agnostic, Lithun added. While Elfly is developing a battery electric seaplane, the Noemi platform also supports hybrid configurations, Pratt & Whitney PT6 conventional engines and fuel, and potentially hydrogen propulsion if a valid business case can be presented.
The Noemi platform is designed for the next 100 years of aviation and to operate anywhere on the planet. “We call it the go anywhere plane,'” Lithun said.
According to Elfly it has soft orders for 47 Noemis worth an estimated US$500 million, with additional interest for 300 more aircraft from operators worldwide. The company is working toward first flight of the conceptual prototype in 2027, with entry into service targeted for 2030.
