ARLINGTON — Gregory Davis, president of electric airplane builder Eviation, is now the company’s CEO. He takes the helm just in time to announce a new order this week for 50 of the company’s all-electric planes.
Davis had served as interim CEO since February, replacing former CEO and co-founder Omer Bar-Yohay, who left the firm over an alleged disagreement with its main shareholder.
Eviation, which has engineering facilities in Arlington, designed and built a fully electric nine-seat commuter plane. The prototype, known as Alice, is undergoing tests from a hangar near Grant County International Airport in Moses Lake.
Alice is powered by two magni650 electric motors built by magniX, an Everett company that builds electric propulsion systems for aircraft.
The two aerospace firms moved to Snohomish County last year and have teamed up to design the new plane. Both are subsidiaries of the Clermont Group, a private investment firm based in Singapore.
The plane is designed to fly 500 miles on a single charge and has a top cruising speed of 287 mph. Constructed mostly from composite materials, the commuter plane will operate in all environments currently served by piston and turbine aircraft, according to Eviation.
Alice has not yet flown, but Eviation says it expects the plane to take its inaugural flight this year.
When the prototype completes its maiden voyage, the company expects to bring the plane back to Arlington to conduct additional tests, the company has said.
Eviation employs about 140 people at its Arlington location. It unveiled its design for the production version of Alice last year.
Adding to Eviation’s order book this month, GlobalX, a Miami-based provider of passenger and cargo charter jets, signed a letter of intent to order 50 of the all-electric planes.
“Alice will enable GlobalX to introduce new, sustainable flight options for growing markets including Miami, Orlando and the Bahamas,” GlobalX said in a news release. It expects to take delivery of the first plane in 2027.
“Eviation’s Alice aircraft is setting the standard in sustainable aviation, and we plan to offer the aircraft to our cruise line, tour operators, leisure travel providers and business clients with a need for short-haul charter flights across Florida,” said Ed Wegel, chairman and CEO of GlobalX
“We are delighted to enter this agreement with GlobalX, whose investment in zero-emissions flight demonstrates the airline’s commitment to cleaner skies, lower operational costs, and the provision of the most innovative options for air travel,” CEO Davis said.
Davis is a licensed commercial pilot and engineer with more than 15 years of experience in leadership roles within the aerospace industry, the company said in a news release. He will continue to serve as president, a position he has held since May 2021.
“I am extremely proud to take on the role of CEO at Eviation as we work to shape the future of flight, and create a new era of transportation that is both environmentally and economically sustainable,” Davis said. “Eviation’s groundbreaking work in the aviation industry has positioned the company as a market leader, and I am inspired to be at the forefront of innovation with the potential for such positive impact.”
Before joining Eviation, Davis served as vice president of customer service and product support for Viking Air Limited and served in an engineering role at Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group.
“Gregory has a profound understanding of aerospace engineering and a true passion for aviation that will propel Eviation forward as we continue to pioneer electric flight,” said Allen Page, Eviation’s chairman. “Gregory has been deeply involved in all aspects of the company’s business strategy and day-to-day operations over the last year. Under his leadership, the team has made incredible strides in preparing the Alice, our all-electric commuter aircraft, for its imminent first flight, as well as toward our objectives of FAA certification and commercialization.”
Cape Air, one of the nation’s largest commuter airlines, signed a letter of intent this year to purchase 75 of the Eviation Alice model. Last year, global package delivery firm DHL ordered 12 of a cargo variant.
Janice Podsada: 425-339-3097; jpodsada@heraldnet.com;
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