MANILA—French hybrid‑eVTOL pioneer Ascendance Flight Technologies has deepened ties with Manila‑based PhilJets, signing a fresh Letter of Intent for five additional Atea aircraft and lifting the operator’s provisional orderbook to 15 units.
The pact was sealed on 11 April during a bilateral meeting between France’s Ministry for Europe & Foreign Affairs and the Philippine Department of Transportation, witnessed by French Trade Minister Laurent Saint‑Martin. The ceremony formed part of a wider French business mission spanning the Philippines, Japan, Singapore, Indonesia and Vietnam.
Why It Matters
- Archipelago challenge: With 7,500+ islands, the Philippines struggles with fragmented transport links. Ascendance’s hybrid‑electric VTOL promises point‑to‑point passenger, medevac and light‑cargo capability minus the runway—and with a sharply lower carbon footprint.
- Strategic scope: The companies will now map out how the Atea can unlock regional air‑mobility routes, from remote communities to tourism hotspots.
- Sustainability drive: The partnership is pitched as a milestone in aviation decarbonisation for Southeast Asia.
About the Players
- Ascendance – Toulouse‑based start‑up developing the five‑seat Atea, a lift‑fan design aimed at 400 km range and 80 % less CO₂ than conventional rotorcraft.
- PhilJets – A decade‑old operator running charter and corporate flights, with an MRO arm supporting over 100 helicopters across the archipelago.
Detailed timelines for aircraft certification and entry‑into‑service were not disclosed.
SOURCE: ASCENDANCE FLIGHT TECHNOLOGY PRESS RELEASE
