At a rollout event on the evening of 6 November 2024 at Grenchen Airport (LSZG), the prototype of the Smartflyer SFX1 was ceremoniously unveiled and presented to the public in front of 120 invited guests from aviation, business, politics and the media. It was a great moment for the entire Smartflyer team and a first highlight in the eight-year development history of the hybrid-electric cruising and training aircraft. It was also the moment to show the Smartflyer team, suppliers and all partners the appreciation and thanks they deserve.

For the next steps, Smartflyer AG is looking for new investors so that the prototype can take to the skies next year. Certification is being considered with an industrial partner so that the Smartflyer SF1 can go into commercial use in 2030. The Smartflyer SF1, as the aircraft will be called in series production, will be the first electric aircraft with a replaceable energy source and will revolutionise general aviation.

Following the highly successful rollout - broadcast live on Swiss television in prime time - the prototype will soon be ready for the ground test phase, for which the definitive move to Grenchen Airport is planned.

The aircraft:

The Smartflyer SFX1 has a design that has been developed from scratch and designed and optimised for pure electric propulsion. The electric motor with propeller is located on the vertical stabiliser, where the thrust is most effective. The batteries are housed in the wing, where the large mass is neutralised in terms of bending moment. There is space in the nose of the four-seater aircraft for a range extender or additional batteries, depending on the requirements of the planned mission.

The SFX1 prototype is due to take to the skies for the first time in 2025 and will be operated purely electrically in the airport area. This will massively reduce noise emissions. When travelling, a range extender will help to achieve a range of 800 km. The small combustion engine runs in the optimum range. Using the Smartflyer will reduce CO2 emissions by half compared to a four-seater aircraft with a conventional piston engine.