Beyond Aero selects Luxaviation as launch operator for hydrogen business jet
Founded in 2020, Beyond Aero is building an electric business aircraft powered by hydrogen propulsion, enabling six passengers to fly up to 800nm (1,500 km).
Beyond Aero has tapped Luxaviation for its operational expertise as it becomes the first launch operator for Beyond’s in-development hydrogen-electric business jet.
The partnership will focus on real-world operational readiness, including the definition of mission profiles, deployment scenarios and service integration.
Luxaviation’s expertise in business aviation operations will support Beyond Aero in bridging the gap between aircraft development and commercial service to prepare the deployment of hydrogen-electric aviation in Europe, the French aircraft developer stated in a press release.
“It’s a long-term relationship structured in phases,” Eloa Guillotin, CEO of Beyond Aero told CJI. “Publicly, we are not going to share the detail of each phase, but it’s written in the intent – from the user perspective, airport readiness, refueling stations, regulations and also operating costs, maintenance schedules, which will come slightly after.
“It’s really about making it real – bridging the gap between the theory and the reality check of daily knowledge.”
Caroline Demsar CEO of Luxaviation France/Malta/Portugal added: “At Luxaviation, innovation must translate into real-world operations. Partnering with BeyondAero enables us to explore hydrogen-electric propulsion in a practical, responsible way, aligned with our long-term sustainability ambitions and operational excellence.”
Beyond Aero has made quick progress since its founding in 2020. It recently completed its Preliminary Design Review (PDR), validated its hydrogen-electric propulsion system at TRL6 via ground tests and completed France’s first ever manned hydrogen-electric flight. That test campaign, conducted in the south of France, included 10 take-offs and two complete flights with a hybridisation ratio of two thirds gaseous hydrogen to one third batteries.
The partnership with Luxaviation is expected to evolve toward demonstration flights and operational validation under EASA frameworks.
Guillotin hinted that this would not be the only operator partnership Beyond Aero forms.
“We won’t have just one. But this one is special for us because we needed someone with enough expertise in different types of planes and different types of routes – not just in one country – to be able to have operations in the main business aviation markets,” she said.
“We wanted someone with enough background, enough aircraft, and enough geography. We chose not to specialise per country because the market isn’t structured that way – it’s more per route and per aircraft size,” she continued.
The company also has a Los Angeles office in anticipation of capturing the US market. “To define a bit more: 60% of business aviation is in the US,” she explained. “That’s why we have an office in Los Angeles with a small team, and why part of our investors come from the US.
“While we think the go-to market is happening in Europe – that’s why we have Luxaviation – we also anticipate the next few years keeping that LA office open will allow us to discuss use cases for our an aircraft on the West Coast.”
