Bye Aerospace all-electric eFlyer 800 program advances 

Bye Aerospace (Denver, Colo., U.S.) developer of the all-electric twin-motor eFlyer 800 which will also most likely make use of composites like the eFlyer 2, has experienced an increase in production backlog to 135 purchase deposit and option total agreements for the aircraft targeting the regional airline market. Across all eFlyer models in development, Bye Aerospace is now approaching 900 units total in its backlog including 732 paid purchase deposits and 162 paid, time-limited purchase option deposits.

“The response has been enthusiastically positive since we announced the eFlyer 800 in April of last year [2021],” says George E. Bye, CEO of Bye Aerospace. “We are particularly grateful to our launch customers, Jet It [Greensboro, N.C., U.S.] and JetClub [Mexico City, Mexico], for their endorsement of this ground-breaking program. In addition, Safran [Paris, France] continues to be a supportive partner as we continue to assess the most efficient electric powertrain using Safran’s dual ENGINeUS electric motors and GENeUSGRID electric distribution and network protection system.”

Bye Aerospace launched the program in response to growing demands for all-electric regional business airplanes with five-fold reduced operating costs compared to legacy turboprops, high speed and altitude, plus increased capacity and utility. The eight-seat eFlyer 800 is also reported to have a best-in-class, 65-inch-wide cabin for business transportation. A higher density 12-seat configuration is being studied for commuter operators, while an increase in motor rating to balance aircraft and payload weight increases is also being considered.

Vishal Hiremath, co-founder of Jet It and CEO of JetClub, echoes his support for the eFlyer 800. “We are very serious about this aircraft and are looking forward to putting it into our operations around the world including Europe and Asia,” he says. “It’s a very good looking and well-designed plane, and George Bye is a very experienced and accomplished aviation engineer. We are confident of the solid engineering behind it and eagerly waiting for entry into service.”

Bye Aerospace is working closely with Safran to determine the most efficient electric powertrain for the eFlyer 800. “After two years of testing in [the] Safran lab, we have validated all the key features and demonstrated the unrivaled performance of our ENGINeUS 500,” adds Hervé Blanc, executive VP and general manager Power with Safran Electrical & Power. “This electric motor can deliver 750 kilowatts maximum takeoff power, which is the perfect fit for the eFlyer 800. Our GENeUSGRID system will further support the eFlyer 800 architecture design with dissimilar distribution components that ensure a full protection against all potential dysfunctional behaviors of a high voltage electrical propulsion system.”

Bye Aerospace is in the process of obtaining FAA Part-23 certification for the eFlyer 2 for the professional flight training mission and the four-seat eFlyer 4 for air taxi, cargo and advanced training uses. The company currently has nearly 900 airplanes in its production backlog over its three models of eFlyer aircraft.