UK company AERALIS is courting global air forces dissatisfied with traditional pilot training systems, which typically employ a combination of dissimilar training aircraft and non-integrated ground-based training systems. The UK start-up is pioneering the world's first modular jet aircraft system, covering all basic and advanced flying training needs with a common aircraft and training system which will reduce total lifecycle costs by at least 30%.

Having raised over £650,000 from HNWIs and received offers of £1.3M grant funding from the Welsh Government, AERALIS is now pleased to announce the launch of a £1M fund raise via Syndicate Room (www.syndicateroom.com), a major Business to Business Crowd Funding website, as part of a Phase 2 EIS-Assured funding round.

AERALIS's Phase 2 funding, which invites interested individuals to commit by the end of October 2018, will be used to build a Concept Demonstrator of AERALIS's unique Common Core fuselage design. The business is planning to unveil this at the global DSEI Trade Show at the Excel Centre, London, in September 2019. In the lead up to this event AERALIS will also be bolstering its marketing activity, promoting the concept to Airforce customers worldwide. A hybrid version is also being mooted as a new-gen aircraft for military aerobatic teams worldwide.

AERALIS has identified a need for 5,500 new aircraft through to 2023. Its target is at least 300 aircraft in over 10 ripe geographical markets.

AERALIS has garnered support from leading blue-chip companies, including Thales and Bombardier. Squadron Leader Tim Davies (ret'd), former head of RAF fast jet flying training, is lending expertise to the programme as Strategy Director. Also on the management board are Brian Hibbert, CBE, ex-Lockheed Martin and Dick Eastment OBE, former head of training at the UK MoD and BAE Systems. An advisory board, bringing significant experience across the aerospace and F1 industry has been established, including the former chair of the Royal Aeronautical Society, former MD of Airbus UK and former Technical Director of Renault F1.

"AERALIS' disruptive proposition addresses the current lack of cost effective, end-to-end aircraft for training military pilots with its innovative modular family design based around a Common Core Fuselage. Using up to four different aircraft types –elementary, basic, advanced and operational conversion, as air forces do currently, significantly increases acquisition and operating costs at a time when defence budgets are under pressure," commented Tim Davies.