Aura Aero announced last week at EAA AirVenture that it received the first U.S. order for its Integral R aircraft, placed by well-known airshow performer Michael Goulian.
The Integral R is part of Aura’s Integral family of aircraft, including the Integral S and E. Having recently received certification in Europe by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), and with FAA certification underway, Aura hopes the purchase kick-starts its foray into the American market.
Designed for upset prevention and recovery training (UPRT), the Integral R is a two-seat trainer with aerobatic capabilities. The aircraft comes equipped with Garmin Avionics and a digital platform called EPONA, which analyzes data midflight and delivers pilot and aircraft debriefings.
Along with being the official ambassador of the Integral R in the U.S., Goulian is a former aerobatic champion and competitor in the Red Bull Air Race World Championship Series from 2006-19. Currently, he runs Mike Goulian Aviation, a training facility in Bedford, Massachusetts, specializing in Cirrus aircraft training and management.
Goulian also offers advanced tailwheel and aerobatics instruction that will likely feature the Integral R in the near future.
“I am extremely proud to be the first U.S. customer for Integral R,” Goulian said. “We’re very excited to take delivery of our plane and put it to work in our flight school. Exposing our customers to the joy of aerobatics while improving their piloting skills is something we are passionate about. The new design with side-by-side seating is ideal for the mission. The plane not only looks beautiful, but it also flies as good as it looks.”
Started in 2018 by three former Airbus engineers, France-based Aura Aero has its eyes set on North America.
The U.S., home to almost 600 FAA-certified flight schools and over 75,000 pilots, represents the largest aviation training hub in the world. Aura Aero said it hopes to position itself as the go-to training aircraft, not only with the Integral R, but with the Integral S and Integral E, a nosewheel and all-electric versions of the same design that are both expected to see certification by 2027.
To grab hold of this coveted American marketplace, Aura Aero has been busy over the last year.
This year, the company launched its partnership with Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University and opened a 10,000-square-foot hangar at its research park in Daytona Beach, Florida, dedicated to the assembly, delivery, and customer support of all Integral aircraft in the U.S. The hangar will host two prototypes of the electric Integral E, and the flight test campaign prior to certification will take place nearby.
Daytona Beach is also the location Aura Aero has chosen as the home of its U.S. headquarters, where it’s currently building a 500,000-square-foot factory for the production of its 19-passenger, hybrid-electric ERA. The company said the warehouse is expected to create over 1,000 jobs, with production at the facility beginning in 2028.
Aura Aero’s ERA has over 650 preorders, representing over $10.5 billion for the company. The company said its goal is to manufacture and assemble 100 ERAs per year upon beginning operations.
