“ From the 1980s to about 2000, there were literally thousands of turbo-prop airplanes flying segments of 250 to 350 nautical miles,” he said.“ That market is proven.”
Then, McEwen adds, the“ big jets” came in, disrupting the smaller markets even though they served fewer communities and offered fewer flights to those they did serve.
The result: A lot of communities’ regional services“ went away when the turbo props went away,” he said.
The ERA’ s projected range of 250 or 350 nautical miles, and its 19-seat capacity will make it a perfect fit for the regional industry today, McEwen said.
Key to resuscitating the regional market will be a hybrid electric airplane’ s“ savings of anywhere from 40 % to 60 % on total operating costs compared to the big turbo-prop engines,” McEwen said.“ The regional airline market of passenger service for 19 seats is really nonexistent now, when it used to be huge. I see it as bringing back service to a lot of communities throughout every state that used to have regional services.”
AURA AERO did its first demo flight for its allelectric INTEGRAL E in Toulouse, France, in December, but McEwen, who is a private pilot with a multi-engine rating, has yet to pilot one.
“ I’ m going back over there in February, so I might fly it then,” he said.“ What’ s cool about electric is it’ s a lot quieter and it’ s got really good performance. To accelerate and put more power on the engine is pretty instant versus a piston engine.”
Meanwhile, McEwen will still be piloting his mother’ s beloved Beechcraft Bonanza to work from Vero Beach to Daytona.
“ It certainly beats driving I-95,” he said.
Rick de Yampert is a freelance writer living in Palm Coast, Florida. Previously he was a writer for 30 years at daily newspapers in Florida, Tennessee and Alabama.
Launching Aerospace Education at Daytona State College
Daytona State is expanding with two new Associate of Science degrees in Aviation Maintenance Management( pending FAA and SACSCOC approval) and Aerospace Technology, and an Avionics Systems Technician Career Certificate. These highdemand, career-oriented programs were developed with guidance from NASA, Blue Origin, Northrop Grumman and other industry leaders to provide students the hands-on skills today’ s aerospace companies need.
If you’ re ready to launch your future, scan the QR code or visit DaytonaState. edu / Aerospace.
DaytonaState. edu
FEBRUARY / MARCH 2026 | 9 |