The Elfly Group has appointed Simon Bendrey as Chief Engineer and Head of Design, as the company enters the next phase in the development of NOEMI, its fully electric amphibious seaplane. The appointment reinforces Elfly’s leadership team at a critical point as the programme moves from concept validation towards full-scale prototype development, flight testing and eventual certification.
Bendrey brings more than 30 years of experience in aircraft design and development, with a strong background in both conventional and next-generation aviation programmes. He spent nearly 20 years working within the Airbus supply chain, where he was involved in the design, analysis and certification of primary aircraft structures. His work focused largely on wing structures across major aircraft programmes, including the A380, A400M and A350, providing him with deep expertise in large-scale, safety-critical aerospace development. More recently, Bendrey served for over five years as Head of Design and Chief Engineer at Dufour Aerospace in Switzerland, where he led the development of advanced electric and hybrid-electric aircraft concepts.
In his new role at Elfly, Bendrey will be responsible for leading aircraft design and engineering activities as the company transitions into hands-on prototype construction. The build of the full-scale experimental NOEMI aircraft is scheduled to begin in early 2026, with a first flight currently targeted for 2027. His remit will also cover preparation for flight testing and close engagement with certification authorities.
NOEMI is being developed as a fully composite aircraft, leveraging decades of progress in composite materials, manufacturing techniques and scalable production processes. Elfly has already completed its concept design review, undertaken extensive wind tunnel and sub-scale testing, and signed a pre-application contract with EASA. The company has also secured more than 70 soft orders from operators across five continents, underlining strong global interest in zero-emission seaplane operations.
