Alpine Air Express, one of America’s largest regional air cargo carriers, and AURA AERO, French aircraft manufacturer and pioneer in low-carbon aviation, have signed a Letter of Intent for the purchase of up to 75 ERA, the hybrid-electric regional transport aircraft due to enter into service before 2030.
Based in Provo, Utah, Alpine Air Express operates some 100+ daily regional flights across the USA, transporting freight and packages for all the major freight delivery companies, such as UPS, Amazon and United States Postal Services, offering last mile delivery.
Currently operating a fleet of over 80 aircraft, Alpine intends to take advantage of the opportunities offered by ERA to decarbonize its operations in the coming years while operating a more efficient aircraft.
ERA is a versatile aircraft which, thanks to its wide, full opening cargo door and well matched combination of volume and payload, offers a very competitive range of possibilities for regional air freight operators, reducing maintenance and energy costs by more than 50% per ton of revenue cargo, when compared to older aircraft of the same category.
The ERA cargo aircraft represents a significant leap forward in the cargo market, combining advanced green technology with operational efficiency. As the aviation industry continues to prioritize sustainability and cost-effectiveness, this freighter aircraft is poised to become a game-changer.
Scheduled to enter into service before the end of the decade, ERA now has an order book of over 570 units, valued up to $9 billion.
