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The E-PROPS Propellers company (SAS ELECTRAVIA)


The E-PROPS company designs, tests, manufactures and sells Carbon and Carbon-Titanium propellers for aviation [airplanes, LSA, ultralights, paramotors].

eprops company workshop

1 - Key figures of the company
2 - Summary
3 - Brief history
4 - Detailed history
5 - Press articles

1 - Key figures of the company


- E-PROPS PROPELLERS (SAS ELECTRAVIA) : company created in 2008 by 3 aviation enthousiasts
- Team : 53 aeronautical engineers and technicians
- Workshops = 7200 m² on Sisteron airfield (LFNS), Provence, France
- Production : 75000 propellers blades / year
- E-Props propellers equip 260 types of aircraft and ultralights / LSA and all paramotors brands.
- E-Props is the world leader in propellers for paramotors.
- The E-PROPS company is directly working with 50 major aircraft manufacturers.
- E-PROPS exports 90% of its production to 84 different countries.


2 - Summary


Created in 2008, the company Helices E-Props designs, tests and manufactures Carbon and Carbon-Titanium propellers for aviation: Aircraft, Ultralights, Paramotors.
The team of 53 aeronautical engineers and technicians produce more than 75000 propeller blades per year in ultra-modern 7200 m² workshops located at the Sisteron aerodrome, Provence, France (LFNS).
E-Props are the lightest propellers in the world.
In just a few years, E-Props has become the world leader in propellers for paramotors.
50 ultralight and airplane manufacturers have chosen E-Props to equip their aircraft.
Thousands of E-Props propellers, very solid & very quiet, offering exceptional performance, certified ASTM F2506-13 and EASA CS-22J, are now in use in 84 countries.
The company is targeting EASA POA Part 21G certification in 2024 to produce certified propellers. First propeller certified by EASA : DURANDAL-3 (March 2023)


3 - Brief History


The ELECTRAVIA - E-PROPS company is also known for its electric motorizations systems developed for leisure aviation : engines, controllers, dedicated instruments, batteries BMS and dedicated propellers, as well as for aircraft equipped with these new successful and silent propulsion systems made between 2008 and 2014.
During 6 years, 70 aircraft with electric engines have been developed by the team, including the famous "ELECTRA" (1rst worldwide 100% electric aircraft, 1rst flight in December 2007), the CRI-CRI Cristaline (1rst worldwide electric twin-engines, world speed record for electric aircraft from 2010 to 2018), the E-FENIX (1rst worldwide electric two-seater paratrike), the E-SPIDER (1rst worldwide electric two-seater paramotor), the ELECTRO-LIGHT (electric motoglider range 1h30)...
At the same time, the E-PROPS propellers, first made of wood and then quickly made of carbon, met with increasing success.
The team is now exclusively dedicated to the design and manufacture of its E-PROPS high-tech carbon propellers.
Since 2018, E-PROPS offers 4,400 models of ultra-light propellers for paramotors and has become the world leader in this type of propeller. In 2020, a range of more than 100,000 references of hi-tech carbon propellers for Aircraft / Ultralights was released.
In 2022, E-Props has started the process with EASA, DGAC and OSAC to certify the production (Production Organisations Approval Part 21G) and some propeller models according to the EASA CS-22 standard. First propeller certified by EASA : DURANDAL-3 (March 2023).

eprops high-tech carbon propellers

3 - Detailed History


- October 2006 : beginning of the ELECTRAVIA project, before to create the company. Project led by Anne Lavrand, Christian Vandamme and Jérémie Buiatti.

- December 2007 : Electra, the first 100 % electric aircraft in the world, makes a 48 mn first flight pilot Christian Vandamme. A immediate international recognition !

- September 2008: official creation of the ELECTRAVIA - HELICES E-PROPS company

- August 2009 : wooden propellers Hélices E-PROPS on the market.

- September 2010 : world speed record [262 km/h] with electric MC15E Cri-Cri (Pilot Hugues Duval) with electric E-MOTOR engines and contrarotative E-PROPS propellers.

- November 2010 : new premises with photovoltaic roof, energy-plus buidlings, on an airfield in Provence : Sisteron - Vaumeilh (LNFS).

- March 2011 : first flights electric paratrike Kermelec with very quiet E-PROPS propeller.

- May 2011 : E-Fenix, first 2-seater paratrike in the world with QD2 E-PROPS propeller.

- June 2011 : new world speed record [283 km/h] with electric MC15E Cri-Cri during the 2011 Paris Air Show.

- August 2011 : flight tests of the MC30E Firefly with E-PROPS with special designs.

- December 2011 : first flights of electric motorglider ElectroLight 2, demonstrator of ELECTRAVIA's innovations with very quiet E-PROPS propeller.

- February 2012 : new range of very light and innovative carbon propellers E-PROPS NG for paramotors
Design in digital wind tunnel, optimization with the LmPTR software, elaboration of manufacturing's processes, tests (numerous!) and materials choices, implementation of tools and equipments, brought out of the first models, ground tests then in flight tests : ELECTRAVIA carbon propellers have required 3 years of relentless works, 7 days a week, to succeed in finalizing them. Many tests, some failures, some successes, then still tests, compelling periods followed by discouragement's moments, to obtain at the end an efficient manufacturing"s process and very light and efficient carbon propellers. The propellers of 3rd generation !

- June 2012 : first flights and presentation in a big airshow (Mondial de Paramoteurs de Basse-Ham 2012) of the 1rst electric powered 2-seaters paraglider, the E-SPIDER, with QD2 E-PROPS propeller.

- September 2012 : new propeller ground ajustable 4-blades in carbon EXCALIBUR for ROTAX engines family 912.

- June 2013 : first PLUG'n'FLY propellers, specific for PPG.

- October 2013 : 20 models allow to answer to a lot of needs. The E-Props propellers are now marketed in 30 countries.

- January 2014 : between July 2013 et January 2014, a first fatigue tests campaign has validated a MTBO for the carbon E-Props propeller of 2.000 Hours.

- March 2014 : the Electravia team has decided to suspend its activities of development, integration and marketing of electric motorizations for aircraft, in order to dedicate itself completely to the manufacturing of its carbon E-Props propellers. Electravia is waiting for better batteries, to increase the flight time and reduce the charge time.

- October 2014 : a new worskop is built, and now the company has a total of 1.700 m², dedicated to propellers manufacturing.

- March 2015 : the E-Props propellers have a great success all over the world (more than 50 countries). Those propellers are the lightest on the market.

- Sept 2015 : the team is composed of 12 people.

- March 2016 : E-Props presents its new propeller, EXCALIBUR-6 (6-blades), with a special H²D concept. It is designed on about the same principle as some anti-torque tail rotors of helicopters, to significantly reduce vibrations and noise. This propeller has a thrust of 350 kg (on a 150 hp engine). An immediate great success !

- May 2016 : E-Props on Facebook => www.facebook.com/fly.eprops

- June 2016 : E-Props has now 19 people for the design, manufacturing and marketing of the propellers. The annual production's capacité is 7.500 carbon blades in 1.700 m² workshops. The E-Props propellers are sold in 56 different countries. A great success due to a lot of work and passion !

- October 2016 : 20 people are now working for E-Props. The company ensures the production monitoring by RFID and KANBAN method. Beginning of the works to realize new workshops, in order to multiply by 4 the yearly production (target at the end of 2017 : 30.000 blades / year).

- May 2017 : beginning of the building of new workshops (curing and injection). The production capacity is growing from 12.500 to 18.500 blades/year, always increasing up to the goal of 30.000 blades/year at the end of the year 2017. Production of some models is suspended to produce more of the common models.

- July 2017 : E-PROPS has implemented two new production equipment :
- a machining centre custom designed and built to allow the dimensional analysis, the rectification and the finish of the carbon parts automatically, without dismantling of the part. It is equipped with a directional brooch on 5-axis programmed according to the digital definition of the part, with a wide tool store. The precision of measure by the scanner laser is of 5/100th of millimeter.
- a professional 3D printer, in order to realize equipments, molds, prototypes and of pre-series parts, as well as lighter functional components.

- December 2017 : the production capacity is now 22.500 blades/year, increasing to the target of 30.000 blades/year. E-Props propellers are now sold in 70 countries and equipped more than 200 different models of ultralights / LSA and 350 paramotors brands. The company counts from now on 23 employees.

- February 2018 : release of the new range of PLUG'n'FLY propellers with SCIMITAR design : even lighter (less than 410 gr for the lightest), more thrust and less noise.

- March 2018 : Thousands of carbon propellers for all engines and reducers, in 12 different diameters, discounts and shipping costs offered all over the world !

- July 2018 : to further its development, ELECTRAVIA recruits. The company increases its staff to 25 employees (including 6 at design department).

- September 2018 : the ELECTRAVIA - HELICES E-PROPS company is celebrating its 10th years !

- March 2019 : 28 people are working at E-PROPS. The company is following its development in several countries (80) and is working on many projects with major companies and research laboratories.

- September 2019 : the new workshops, tools, molds and equipments allow now to produce 45.000 blades / year. An exceptional industrial capacité in the leisure aviation's field.

- December 2019 : Christian Vandamme retires, well deserved ! Thanks to him for all these years within the company.

- April 2020: 32 employees, including 10 in the design office, produce 45 000 propeller blades per year in ultra-modern 2 200 m² workshops. Release of the new range of propellers for airplanes / ultralights (V20) : lighter, even stronger and more efficient. In total : 102 600 references !
VIDEO : E-PROPS V20 range

- October 2020 : E-Props employees celebrate their 100,000th carbon propeller blade !

- November 2020: hiring of a test pilot to carry out flight tests of the propellers, in particular the range of in flight variable pitch propellers (GLORIEUSE).

- June 2021 : Electravia starts the building of a new intelligent and eco-responsible factory of 4200 m² including CNC machining centers, robots and additive manufacturing machines. These new workshops will allow the hiring of 30 new employees, bringing the company's workforce to 70. The company, which exports 87% of its production, plans to triple its current turnover within 3 years and from its current production of 45,000 carbon composite parts per year to more than 150,000.

- September 2021 : release of the new range of Constant Speed propellers named "Glorieuse". Tripale all included = 4 kg ! A propeller lighter than all ,the fixed pitch of competing brands...

- October 15, 2021: laying of the foundation stone of the new Electravia / E-Props factory, in the presence of many personalities. An exceptional moment for the company's 40 employees, families and friends.

- December, 2021: the company started work to certify its propellers and production methods to European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) standards : DOA / CS-P / POA PART 21G.

- March, 3, 2022: a new hangar in the Electravia’s domain. From now on, the entire Industrial Zone of the Sisteron Aerodrome belongs to the managers of Helices E-Props / SAS Electravia. 7.200 sqm for the design, testing, manufacturing and sale of ultra-light carbon propellers. Considering the very ambitious projects of the company, this was really necessary.

- April, 2022: a Blackwing equipped with a Rotax 915iS and an E-Props Constant Speed Glorieuse propeller (175 cm diameter, 4 kg all inclusive) established the new World Speed Record in its category, flying at an average of 413 km/h over 15 km.

- July 2022 : Eric Grare wins all the STOL ULM competitions organized in France by the FFPLUM, with his YUMA 912S E-PROPS.

- July, 2022: An E-Props flew around the world! Successful bet for Mack Rutherford (MackSolo): he becomes the youngest pilot to have flown around the world alone! His plane: a Shark with Rotax 912 engine (100hp) and E-Props ground adjustable pitch propeller Durandal. 54,124 km in 221 h in 71 flights. Average speed = 245 km/h. Congratulations Mack!

- December 2022 : Tecnam approves 3-blade Durandal on P92 Mark II

- December 2022 : 200 000 blades made at E-Props !

- March 2023 : first EASA Type Certificate for the range of 3 blade propellers, CS-22J standard (Type Certificate ref EASA.P.512). These propellers can be mounted on CS-VLA and ELA1 Aircraft with Rotax 912S & iS. Many other TC will follow !

- Sept 2023 : Electravia celebrates its 15th birthday.

- March 2024: finalization of LUKY in-house software, which models the behavior of an E-Props propeller on a given engine, from an aerodynamic and mechanical point of view, including vibration analysis and service life calculation. Domain exploration is performed using an evolutionary algorithm (metaheuristics). LUKY is a breakthrough in the development of high-performance propellers.

- August 2024: E-Props launches a range of in-flight variable-pitch propellers (Glorieuse) for Rotax 916iS 160 hp.


... and the story goes on !

5 - Press articles


Some articles about the company, its achievements, its projects...

- Hélices E-Props certifiées (ULMag 06-03-2023)
- Les tripales E-PROPS certifiées par l'EASA (aeroweb-fr.net 06-03-2023)
- E-Props certifie sa tripale Durandal-3 (Aero VFR - 05-03-2023)
- La 200 000ème pale fabriquée chez E-Props !
- Article in The Europa Flyer Oct. 2022 : A new lightweight VP prop on the market
- E-Props towards certification - Aviation et Pilote Oct. 2022
- Objectif certification EASA pour Hélices E-Props (EASA certification target for E-Props) - Blog Aerobuzz 2022-09-13
- Blackwing pulverizes the 400 km/h (with a Glorieuse propeller) - Vol Moteur Juin 2022
- Hélices E-PROPS décolle (La Provence 04-11-2021)
- Une nouvelle usine et des emplois chez Electravia (VOL MOTEUR 11-2021)
- Electravia leader des hélices pour paramoteurs construit une usine éco-responsable à Vaumeilh (TPBM 27-10-2021)
- Une nouvelle usine pour Electravia (Le Dauphiné Libéré 22-10-2021)
- Pose de la 1ère pierre d'Electravia (Aérobuzz 21/10/2021)
- Première Pierre pour E-Props (ULMag Octobre 2021)
- Une nouvelle usine pour Electravia (Le Dauphiné Libéré 21-10-2021
- Anne Lavrand, Présidente d'Hélices E-Props : la persévérance au service de l'innovation (Air&Cosmos 03-09-2021)
- Glorieuse : tripale E-Props réglable en vol (ULMag Août 2021)
- Ca tourne fort pour Electravia / Hélices E-Props (Blog AEROBUZZ 13-07-2021)
- Vent en poupe pour E-Props (ULMag Juin 2021)
- Hélices E-Props : une réussite à la française (Revue Aviasport n°773 / Mar-Avr 2021)
- Hélices E-Props peaufine ses ambitions (Revue Air & Cosmos n°2740 du 18-06-2021)
- Anne Lavrand : Pilote, constructrice et chef d'entreprise (Revue Aviasport n°772 / Jan-Fev 2021)
- Encart pub. ULM Info. Hélices E-Props en quelques chiffres (Dec. 2020)
- Une nouvelle gamme d'hélices E-Props Carbone-Titane (Revue Les Cahiers du RSA - Nov 2020)
- Encart pub. ULM Info. Performances et Légèreté (Sept. 2020)
- Des hélices carbone-titane pour plus de performances et de sécurité (Revue Piloter n°83 / Sept-Oct 2020)
- E-PROPS gamme 2020 : 102 600 références ! (Article ULMag Avril 2020)
- Electravia E-Props, expert des hélices légères (La Tribune PACA, 15-11-2019)
- Vaumeilh : chez Electravia E-Props, on fabrique des hélices en carbone (Le Dauphiné, 24-10-2019)
- E-PROPS, Happy Birthday, 10 ans ! (Article Paramoteur+ dec 2018)
- 182 pales d'hélices en carbone sortent chaque jour de l'usine (La Provence, 23-10-2018)
- Electravia - Hélices E-Props s'apprête à embaucher (Le Dauphiné Libéré, 02-10-2018)
- E-PROPS, Happy Birthday, 10 ans ! (Article VOL MOTEUR oct 2018)
- Electravia Hélices E-Props fête ses 10 ans (La Provence, 20-09-2018)
- Propping up your trike : article on E-Props in the Powered Sport Flying Magazine April 2018
- Comparatif entre une Warp Drive et une E-Props sur un avion EUROPA (THE EUROPA FLYER, december 2017)
- Ses pales en carbone sont sans équivalent (La Provence Entreprises Hors Série Décembre 2017)
- Electravia lauréate du Trophée de l'Innovation du Club de L'Economie La Provence (13-12-2017)
- E-Props explose : compte-rendu du Salon ULM de BLOIS 2017 dans Aviation et Pilote Octobre 2017
- Electravia au firmament de l'innovation (Enjeux 04 : magazine de la CCI des Alpes de Haute Provence, juin 2017)
- Electravia conçoit les hélices les plus légères du monde (La Provence Economie, 08-06-2017)
- Electravia, entreprise pionnière en France (Aviasport, décembre 2016)
- Electravia hélices E-Props tourne très bien (Le Dauphiné Libéré 20 sept 2016)
- Electravia fait le tour du monde (actualités de l'Incubateur Impulse)
- News dans Vol Moteur Juillet 2016
- Aviation et Pilote juin 2016 : compte-rendu AERO - Hélices E-Props
- Aero 2016 : une nouvelle hélice 6 pales pour E-Props (27-04-2016 - aeroweb-fr.net)
- E-Props Excalibur propulsive 6 pales (ULMag du 16-03-2016)
- 6 pales pour les ULM (Piloter - avril mai 2016)
- Essai Hélice E-Props sur RF5 (Cahiers du RSA dec 2015)
- E-Props décolle grâce à ses hélices (couverture Dauphiné Libéré Entreprises 20-10-2015)
- Depuis début 2015, Electravia est passée de 5 à 12 salariés (Dauphiné Libéré Entreprises 20-10-2015)
- E-PROPS : décollage immédiat : article dans Vol Moteur Juin 2015
- Validation hélice E-Props sur ULM remorqueur (Vol Moteur janvier 2015)
- Essais d'hélices pour ULM remorqueurs (article dans le Blog AeroVFR décembre 2014)
- L'usine E-Props s'agrandit (Vol Moteur oct 2014)
- Electravia s'est tournée vers la fabrication d'hélices (La Provence 27-09-2014)
- L'usine Electravia - Hélices E-Props s'agrandit : document Incubateur Impulse
- Compte-rendu AERO 2014 Vol Moteur
- Aviasport n° 710 Mai 2014 compte-rendu AERO 2014 : nouvelle hélice carbone à pas variable d'E-Props
- Piloter Mai 2014 : La Glorieuse
- Aviation & Pilote n° 484 Mai 2014 : salon AERO, Hélice E-Props
- Vol Moteur février 2014 : extrait article sur l'ULM pendulaire CBB O² 912 avec hélice E-Props Excalibur
- ELECTRAVIA, c'est aussi des hélices ! dans VOL Moteur Janvier 2014
- Vol Moteur Motorisation Electrique : où en est-on ? (Janvier 2014)
- ELECTRAVIA lance des hélices silencieuses Dauphiné Libéré Entreprises du 19-11-2013 : la couverture et l'article page 4
- 100ème pale carbone : Vol Moteur dec 2013
- News dans Paramoteur + : Hélices NG désormais démontables (avril - mai 2013)
- Vol Moteur Electravia : l'aviation pour tous (Avril 2013)
- Encart dans le compte-rendu du Salon ULM de Blois 2012 dans Vol Moteur d'Octobre 2012 : Salon ULM 2012
- Brève sur AéroBuzz sur la nouvelle hélice Excalibur
- Encart AIR & COSMOS n° 2310 du 27-04-2012, dossier "AERO Friedrichshafen 2012" : des hélices composites pour drones
- La nouvelle hélice NG à l'honneur dans le n° 10 de Paramoteur + (avril - mai 2012) : voir la brève ici
- Article dans AIR et Cosmos n° 2214 du 16 Avril 2010 : compte-rendu du salon AERO 2010 à Friedrichshafen
- Brève dans Vol Libre : n° 401 de décembre 2009
- Aviasport Oct 2009 : compte-rendu du Salon de Blois 2009
- Vol Moteur Oct 2009 : compte-rendu du Salon de Blois 2009
- Les Hélices E-PROPS au Salon de Blois 2009 : brève dans Vol Moteur Août 2009 (stand ELECTRAVIA : E-37)
- Magazine AIR CONTACT : présentation des hélices E-PROPS
- ELECTRAVIA électrise l'aviation légère : USINE NOUVELLE du 11-06-2009 (n° spécial Salon du Bourget)
- compte-rendu du Salon AERO 2009 Ici : extrait concernant les hélices E-PROPS d'ELECTRAVIA
- Vol Moteur Electrotrike d'Electravia (Mai 2009)
- ELECTRAVIA au Salon du Bourget 2009 : un prix récompense Anne Lavrand
- Air Travel switches to electricity Article The Times (03-01-2008)




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E-PROPS DETAILS - CONTACT
The E-PROPS PROPELLERS Company
195, Route de l'Aviation
ZI Aérodrome de Sisteron
04200 VAUMEILH - France
Phone : +33 4 92 34 00 00
Phone reception opened from Monday to Friday
From 9 to 12 a.m (Paris time)

The best way to reach us is by email : helices@e-props.fr