Bay-area startup, MightyFly, has announced a next generation of its eVTOL prototype. The prototype dubbed, Cento, builds upon the firms previous model and is capable of carrying a 100 pound payload up to a range of 600 miles at speeds of 150 mph. Cento uses a hybrid powertrain and is able to achieve its 600-mile range without any charging.

This announcement comes less than two years after receiving $5.1M USD in seed funding and 9 months after first flight of its original eVTOL prototype. Cento features eight electrical vertical lift fans and one forward propulsion propeller. The cargo bay is 6 feet long and can carry 96 small USPS packages.

MightyFly intends to operate and maintain a fleet of Cento eVTOL cargo drones and will manage the end-to-end process of express shipping services.

“The traditional hub-and-spoke distribution model can still serve businesses that have centralized warehousing and shipping systems in place and that have experienced few logistics issues,” said Manal Habib, MightyFly CEO and co-founder. “But if there is one lesson we’ve learned from supply chain bottlenecks and logistics over the past few years, it’s that we need flexibility – to be able to adapt to various cargo volumes and expedited timing or urgencies. Medical companies, just-in-time manufacturing, and the 51% of all retailers that now provide same-day delivery need a faster and more affordable way to get their goods and perishables to the final destination.”

MightlyFly has also secured a Special Airworthiness Certificate for Cento in order to conduct long-range test flights. This will enable the company to continue development and testing of Cento ahead of certification and commercialization.

While Cento was just announced and the team began flight testing of the prototype last month, MightyFly states they are already working on a larger variant capable of carrying a 500 pound payload.

Why it matters: MightyFly has only been in the eVTOL space since 2019 but has made significant progress in its short history with relatively little funding. The development of the Cento prototype and potentially larger variants could make the company one of the first commercialized drone delivery providers if they can complete their flight test campaign and certification.

In a large step forward towards zero-emission aviation, ZeroAvia has accomplished the first flight of its hydrogen-electric Dornier 228 testbed. The flight occured on January 19, 2023 at Cotswold Airport (approx. 2 hours west of London).

ZeroAvia successfully carries out the first flight test of its Dornier 228 19-seat testbed in Gloucestershire, UK, marking a pivotal milestone in ZeroAvia’s HyFlyer II program.

The retrofit Dornier 228 had its left turboprop engine equipped with ZeroAvia’s hydrogen-electric powertrain and flew for approximately 10 minutes before returning to land. The company’s ZA600 propulsion system includes a 600kW array of batteries and uses several gaseous canisters staged in the fuselage. To date, the 10 minute flight holds the record for the largest and heaviest aircraft platform to fly on hydrogen-electric hybrid power.

All systems performed as expected. This is the largest ZeroAvia engine tested to date, and places the company on a direct path to a certifiable configuration to be finalized and submitted for certification in 2023. This program also serves as key to unlocking speedy technology development for larger aircraft. ZeroAvia’s 2-5 MW powertrain program, already underway, will scale the clean engine technology for up to 90-seat aircraft, with further expansion into narrowbody aircraft demonstrators over the next decade.

Celebrating this remarkable progress, Val Miftakhov, Founder and CEO of ZeroAvia said: “This is a major moment, not just for ZeroAvia, but for the aviation industry as a whole, as it shows that true zero-emission commercial flight is only a few years away. The first flight of our 19-seat aircraft shows just how scalable our technology is and highlights the rapid progress of zero-emission propulsion. This is only the beginning – we are building the future of sustainable, zero climate impact aviation. Our approach is the best solution to accelerate clean aviation at scale. Congratulations to everyone on our team and all of our partners and stakeholders for the collective effort that brought us to this monumental day in history.” 

Why it matters: The flight of the ZA600 powertrain is ZeroAvia’s largest to date. As further development and flight tests are conducted, it’s likely that larger powertrains become ready for flight. Doing so will unlock hydrogen-powered regional transportation for turboprop aircraft without any environmental emissions, and pave the way to the future of flight.

Source: ZeroAvia Press Release

The market for eVTOL leasing is gaining traction as this week, Lobo has signed a letter of intent to lease 5 unmanned Pipistrel eVTOLs to Air Taurus, Ltd.

Air Taurus Limited is an eVTOL operator headquartered in Ireland and a group affiliate of AYR Logistics, a UK-based logistics and aviation services company. Lobo manages aviation investments across the world in both the existing helicopter market as well as the fast-developing eVTOL and advanced air mobility sectors. The two will work together to help

Air Taurus will lease Pipistrel’s Nuuva V300 unmanned eVTOL which is capable of a cruise speed of approximately 120 knots with a cargo capacity of up to 300kg and a maximum range of 300km with reserves. This will enable the company to deliver critical supplies and food to underserved and difficult to reach areas.

Gustavo Semeraro, Senior Vice President, Business Development at Lobo Leasing, said: “We are proud to continue at the forefront of this fast-developing market by bringing a pioneering partnership to develop a financial solution to support AYR’s crucial humanitarian work. AYR is a respected and experienced operator, and we greatly appreciate the opportunity to work with them on finalising this letter of intent. The V300 has the potential to transform the humanitarian aviation sector by bringing an entirely new approach to the delivery of long-standing operational requirements”.

Stephen Lyons, Chief Development Officer at AYR, said: “This marks an important step forward in our plans to introduce unmanned aircraft to the humanitarian sector. We are grateful to Lobo Leasing for their support and the shared vision we have for the humanitarian application of unmanned aircraft.”

The LOI is aligned with the Nuuva V300 development program and targets delivery of the first units to Air Taurus between 2025 and 2026.

Why it matters: Many commercial airliners and business jets are leased to customers rather than bought outright. With lessors entering the aerial mobility space, operators will be able to access eVTOL platforms to advance their businesses with lower direct entry costs. Expect to see similar lessors entering the space as eVTOL makers near commercialization of their production models.

Coming out of this year’s CES 2023 conference, Archer Aviation has announced an expanded partnership with Stellantis for the production of their eVTOL model, Midnight.

Stellantis will work with Archer to stand up Archer’s recently announced manufacturing facility in Covington, Georgia at which the companies plan to begin manufacturing the Midnight aircraft in 2024. This unique partnership in the urban air mobility industry will leverage each company’s respective strengths and competencies to bring the Midnight aircraft to market. Archer brings its world-class team of eVTOL, electric powertrain and certification experts while Stellantis will contribute advanced manufacturing technology and expertise, experienced personnel and capital to the partnership. This combination is intended to enable the rapid scaling of aircraft production to meet Archer’s commercialization plans, while allowing Archer to strengthen its path to commercialization by helping it avoid hundreds of millions of dollars of spending during the manufacturing ramp up phase. The goal is for Stellantis to mass produce Archer’s eVTOL aircraft as its exclusive contract manufacturer.  

As a further sign of its commitment, Stellantis will provide up to $150 million in equity capital for potential draw by Archer at its discretion in 2023 and 2024, subject to achievement of certain business milestones which Archer expects to occur in 2023. Stellantis also intends to increase its strategic shareholding through future purchases of Archer stock in the open market. These actions, along with the other elements of this expanded partnership, will enable Stellantis to become a long-term, cornerstone investor in Archer.

“We’ve been working closely with Archer for the past two years, and I am continually impressed by their ingenuity and unwavering commitment to deliver,” said Carlos Tavares, Stellantis CEO. “Deepening our partnership with Archer as a strategic investor with plans for growing our shareholding demonstrates how Stellantis is pushing the boundaries to provide sustainable freedom of mobility, from the road to the sky. Supporting Archer with our manufacturing expertise is another example of how Stellantis will lead the way the world moves.”

“Stellantis’ continued recognition of Archer’s progress toward commercialization, and today’s commitment of significant resources to build the Midnight aircraft with us, places Archer in a strong position to be first to market,” said Adam Goldstein, founder and CEO of Archer. “Our two companies are taking these important steps together to realize a once-in-a-generation opportunity to redefine urban transportation.”

Why it matters: Stellantis’ partnership with Archer gives the eVTOL maker a fresh dose of capital and a vast manufacturing resource for the development of its Midnight eVTOL. With a large backlog of orders already, this manufacturing agreement will better help Archer to deliver a quality product to its customers on schedule.

Related:

• Archer Achieves Forward Flight Transition with Maker (December 2022)
• Archer Unveils its Production Aircraft, Midnight (November 2022)
• Archer Announces Production Plan for its eVTOL Aircraft (October 2022)

As the year is coming to an end, both EHang and Eve are ending strong with a fresh round of capital from key investors.

On 12/23, EHang announced a $10M USD investment and strategic partnership with Qingdao West Coast New Area, one of China’s national new areas in Shandong province. This partnership comes with a potential additional investment of $10M USD in the future. 

Through this strategic partnership, EHang plans to develop its eVTOL business and bolster the market in Qingdao with the goal to make Qingdao a world-class UAM application demonstration area. Additionally, EHang intends to establish a Northeast Asia regional headquarters as well as a national firefighting business center in Qingdao West Coast New Area. Qingdao West Coast New Area will facilitate the local governments’ applications of EHang’s full range of products while providing comprehensive support to the company’s local business operations, sales and services, production and infrastructure construction, among other things.

Meanwhile, halfway across the globe, Embraer’s Eve secured a $92.5M USD line of credit from the National Development Bank of Brazil. This investment will mature over 12 years and will help fund the development and production of Eve’s eVTOL model.

The agreement reinforces cash reserves at Eve, which on December 23 reported a net loss of $36.7 million for the third quarter of 2022. This was almost 10 times the $3.8 million loss the company reported for the same period in 2021. The company said the increased loss was due to a significant uptick in research and development costs as the program progressed.

Why it matters: Many eVTOL makers are starting to leave R&D mode and head for flight test and production of their eVTOL prototypes. With this transition comes a fresh demand for capital for these efforts. With these two investments, EHang and Eve should be well positioned to continue pursuing their eVTOL dreams.

Air New Zealand has unveiled plans to have its first zero emissions demonstrator flight – either cargo or passenger – take to the skies from 2026. The airline chose Eviation, Beta, VoltAero, and Cranfield Aerospace to participate in the partnership.

A combination of electric, green hydrogen, and hybrid aircraft, these partners will work alongside Air New Zealand over the coming years to focus on developing the technology and associated infrastructure required to make flying these aircraft in New Zealand a reality.

These partnerships involve Air New Zealand signing a “statement of intent to order”, a document which demonstrates its ambition to acquire three aircraft initially, with further options for 20, from one or more of the partners subject to an evaluation process.

Air New Zealand Chief Executive Officer Greg Foran says the airline selected these partners based on the stage they are at in their aircraft development journey and their shared goal of starting now to take ambitious action on climate change.

“Mission NextGen Aircraft is not about backing one innovator. It’s about working with a range of leaders in zero emissions aircraft technology to help move the whole ecosystem along. Our goal is to confirm our commitment with one or more of these partners in the next 12 months with the ambition of purchasing an aircraft for delivery from 2026.

“The learnings we will take from flying an aircraft with next generation propulsion technology from 2026 will then pave the way for our long-term partners to deliver an aircraft that can replace our Q300 turboprop domestic fleet.

“Getting a zero emissions aircraft off the ground by 2026 is going to be challenging. But we’re incredibly ambitious – because we need to be”

Why it matters: Air New Zealand’s eVTOL strategy diverges from many other carriers that have inked deals with aerial mobility OEM’s. With its try-before-you-buy strategy, Air New Zealand has an opportunity to study its 4 selected partners and choose the one which will form the strongest partnership and help the airline execute its vision of delivering zero-emission eVTOL flights by 2026.

Source: Air New Zealand Press Release

Eve has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with FlyBIS Aviation Limited (“FlyBIS”), an advanced air mobility start-up based in Caxias do Sul, in the south of Brazil, to collaborate on the development of eVTOL operations in Brazil and South America. Based on the agreement, FlyBIS will also purchase up to 40 of Eve’s eVTOL vehicles.

Above: The Eve eVTOL featured with FlyBIS branding

“This new collaboration with FlyBIS will enable us to expand the future of air mobility to Southern areas of Brazil and other South American countries,” said Andre Stein, Co-CEO of Eve. “This region has several high-traffic tourist areas that will benefit from eVTOL operations, reinforcing our commitment to fostering the urban air mobility market in different regions around the world.”

FlyBIS has become a promising option for air mobility in South Brazil in the short term and is set to help change and improve the way future generations will move. After starting operations in Brazil’s southern states, FlyBIS plans to expand operations to neighboring countries and contribute to the implementation and development of Eve’s air mobility ecosystem. FlyBIS is backed by Brave Aviation who’s current fleet includes Embraer Phenom 100 as well as other aircraft.

“We have a strong team in FlyBIS working together with Eve’s outstanding workforce and second-to-none resources to develop and implement this project in the most financially efficient and sustainable way,” said FlyBIS Co-Founder and CEO Gustavo Zanettini, who is also an aviation consultant and airline pilot. “Our team is very motivated and confident, and we will be working to change future generations’ urban air mobility for a more accessible and cleaner experience.”

Why it matters: Eve now boasts an impressive, industry-leading order book of 2,770 eVTOLs with this latest order of 40 units from FlyBIS. As a Brazilian manufacturer and operator, the partnership between Eve and FlyBIS promises to bring advanced aerial mobility to southern Brazil and surrounding regions.

• Eve Announces First Vertiport Operator Partner Bluenest by Globalvia (December 2022)
• United Airlines Ventures Adds Eve to its UAM Portfolio (September 2022)
• EVE, Embraer-backed eVTOL startup, now trading on NYSE (July 2022)
• Kenya Airways to Purchase 40 Embraer EVE eVTOL Aircraft (June 2022)
• Eve Lands Order for up to 50 eVTOLs from Aviair and Helispirit (February 2022)
• Embraer’s Eve Establishes Partnerships for eVTOL flights in Europe, Latin America, and Dubai (June 2022)

Archer has announced that Maker successfully completed its first transition to full wing-borne flight on November 29, 2022.

Maker has 12 propellers attached to six booms on a fixed wing. All 12 propellers provide vertical lift during take-off and landing. The forward 6 propellers tilt forward to cruise position to provide propulsion during forward flight, with the wing providing aerodynamic lift as in a conventional airplane. During this first flight, Maker’s tilt propellers were locked in cruise position for the first time and the aircraft flew at a calibrated airspeed of 91 knots (105 mph).

The success of the Maker flight testing program demonstrates a number of the key enabling technologies for Midnight (the company’s production version eVTOL), such as the aircraft’s flight control system. The Maker flight test program has generated invaluable data that Archer has leveraged in the development and certification process for Midnight. Archer has made rapid progress on Maker’s flight testing program, completing this transition to fully wing-borne flight in less than 12 months after its first hover flight. 

“From day one, Archer’s strategy has always been about finding the most efficient path to commercializing eVTOL aircraft,” said Adam Goldstein, Archer’s Founder and CEO. “The data and experience we’ve gathered from Maker’s rigorous flight testing program has been invaluable to the development and certification path of Midnight, and lends further confidence to our belief that Archer will be the first company to certify an eVTOL aircraft in the US with the FAA.”

“This significant achievement is a testament to the countless hours of design, simulation and wind tunnel testing that our team has conducted behind-the-scenes,” said Dr. Geoff Bower, Archer’s Chief Engineer responsible for overseeing Maker’s flight test campaign. Dr. Bower has over a decade of experience in the eVTOL aircraft industry, during which he has helped design and build four full-scale eVTOL aircraft that have successfully completed flight test campaigns. “Looking forward to the commercialization of Midnight, we’ll continue to draw upon the incredible findings and lessons learned from Maker’s flight testing program.” 

Why it matters: Achieving the transition to forward flight is critical to validating the flight physics of Archer’s proprietary 12-tilt-6 propeller configuration that it uses on Maker, and will use with Midnight. Archer recently recently unveiled Midnight at its Open House on November 16thm and is working to certify with the FAA in late 2024.

• Archer Unveils its Production Aircraft, Midnight (November 2022)
• Archer Announces Production Plan for its eVTOL Aircraft (October 2022)
• United Airlines Completes $10M Pre-Payment for 100 Archer eVTOL Aircraft (August 2022)

Lilium, the Munich-based eVTOL maker, has announced that it’s secured an additional $119M USD in capital from existing shareholders, new investors, and strategic partners.

Investing participants include Honeywell and Aciturri as well as LGT and its affiliated impact investor Lightrock, Tencent, B. Riley Securities and certain affiliates thereof. Lilium’s new CEO, Klaus Roewe, as well as three additional board members, Barry Engle, David Wallerstein and Niklas Zennström, are also participating.

The fundraising is a concurrent private placement and registered direct offering (RDO).

Citigroup, B. Riley Securities and Piper Sandler are acting as placement agents for the offerings.

Lilium agreed to issue and sell: (a) an aggregate of 91,524,936 of the Company’s Class A ordinary shares at a price of $1.30 per share; and (b) warrants exercisable for an aggregate of 45,762,463 Shares, with an exercise price of $1.30 per share in the private placement and registered direct offerings.

The offerings are expected to close on November 22, 2022, subject to customary closing conditions. Lilium and its officers and directors have agreed to a lockup of 30 days subject to customary exclusions.

Lilium continues flight testing in Spain of its Phoenix 2 technology demonstrator and has announced its intentions to certify its production model eVTOL in 2025.

Why it matters: In 2021, Lilium reported a loss of ~$420M with the lion’s share of costs coming from research and development. Lilium has spent a good deal of 2022 building strong industry partnerships for manufacturing and operation of its eVTOL jet. This latest round of funding should provide an additional boost to Lilium’s flight testing and certification efforts to begin commercialization near the same time as other leading eVTOL competitors in the aerial mobility space.

Related:

• GlobeAir to serve Southern France and Italy with the Lilium Jet (October 2022)
• Lilium and Helity to Develop High Speed Electric Air Mobility Network in Southern Spain (August 2022)
• Lilium Completes Transition from Hover to Winged Flight (June 2022)

Earlier this week, the FAA released the airworthiness/certification criteria for Joby’s JAS4-1 eVTOL prototype and candidate for commercialization. This is the first of its kind and provides the public with a detailed certification plan for eVTOL platforms of the future.

The document draws its criteria largely from Part 23 for certification of fixed-wing general aviation aircraft, but also takes content from Part 33 for engines and Part 35 for propellers. The FAA also introduced new criteria specific to eVTOL because “no existing standard captured the powered-lift [aircraft’s] transitional flight modes.”

The certification basis considers various flight modes, configurations, and electric engine performance standards. For this, the FAA developed new criteria for safe flight and landing in the event of a loss of power to ensure the vehicle maintains adequate performance. The FAA is also considering new regulations for bird strike avoidance and protection as eVTOL aircraft are quieter than traditional fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters.

It is expected Joby’s JAS4-1 will be certified to existing safety level criteria for Part 23 (probability of catastrophic failure on the scale of 10^-7 or 10^-8). It’s also known that Joby’s aircraft will not be held to the 10^-9 safety level used on commercial aircraft by the FAA, but may face such a requirement with EASA.

A copy of the basis is available for viewing here.

Why it matters: Earlier this year, the FAA changed its certification basis for eVTOL aircraft. Rather than certifying under Part 23 alongside most general aviation fixed-wing aircraft, eVTOL platforms will be certified in their own special class. Joby has an advantage being the first in this category; as this may allow the company to help shape the criteria for all certified eVTOL platforms. Expect revisions to this document as the public and industry stakeholders provide comments for consideration.

Delta has announced a massive $60m USD upfront equity investment in Joby with a total investment opportunity for $200 million as the airline hopes to be the first to offer eVTOL services for its passengers.

Above: Joby CEO, JoeBen Bevirt and Delta CEO, Ed Bastian

In a press release this week, Delta Airlines announced plans to partner with Joby Aviation for the operation of Joby’s eVTOL aircraft in New York and Los Angeles with seamless integration between Joby and Delta services. According to the release, “The partners will work together to create a differentiated, premium experience for Delta customers featuring seamless booking, simplified transit, and greater time savings. This will run alongside Joby’s standard airport service in priority markets. The partnership will be mutually exclusive across the U.S. and U.K. for five years following commercial launch, with the potential to extend that period.”

“Delta always looks forward and embraces opportunities to lead the future, and we’ve found in Joby a partner that shares our pioneering spirit and commitment to delivering innovative, seamless experiences that are better for our customers, their journeys, and our world,” said Delta CEO Ed Bastian. “This is a groundbreaking opportunity for Delta to deliver a time-saving, uniquely premium home-to-airport solution for customers in key markets we’ve been investing and innovating in for many years.”

“We share Delta’s unwavering commitment to delivering seamless and sustainable journeys to customers,” said Joby Founder and CEO JoeBen Bevirt. “Their history of innovation, along with their vast operational expertise and leadership on climate change, make them incredible partners for Joby, and it’s an honor to be working alongside them.”

Joby’s eVTOL aircraft is one of the most technologically mature in the aerial mobility space. The company has conducted over 1,000 test flights to date and was the first eVTOL company to be granted a G-1 (Stage 4) Certification Basis as well as its Part 135 Air Carrier Certification by the FAA.

Why it matters: Joby and Delta’s partnership is the latest in a series of airline-eVTOL partnerships announced this year alone. With Delta offering its passengers a seamless, premium service connecting the last leg from the airport to home, starting with New York and Los Angeles, the airline has an immense opportunity to revolutionize commercial air travel.

Source // Joby, Delta

Related:

• Joby Receives Part 135 Air Carrier Certificate From the FAA (May 2022)
• Joby Aviation Begins Certification Testing (February 2022)
• United Airlines Completes $10M Pre-Payment for 100 Archer eVTOL Aircraft (August 2022)
• American Airlines Solidifies Delivery Slots for Vertical Aerospace eVTOL Aircraft (July 2022)

Wisk has announced the latest generation of its eVTOL aircraft, the 6th in the company’s history. Generation 6, as dubbed by Wisk, will be the first-ever candidate for FAA certification of an autonomous, passenger-carrying eVTOL air taxi and its go-to-market configuration.

“In 2010, we set out to find a way to skip traffic and get to our destination faster,” said Gary Gysin, CEO of Wisk. “That inspiration evolved into a mission to deliver safe, everyday flight for everyone. Over the past 12 years, we’ve pursued that mission through the development of five different generations of full-scale aircraft. Our 6th Generation aircraft is the culmination of years of hard work from our industry-leading team, learnings from our previous generations of aircraft, commitment from our investors, and the evolution and advancement of technology.”

Above: Generation 6’s newly designed interior with room for 4 passengers and baggage.

Unlike many other new eVTOL firms, Wisk has designed for autonomous flight from its start and has integrated this philosophy into its technical and business strategy. New terminology for this concept of operations has needed to be created, including multi-vehicle supervisors who will act as a human interface, overseeing several flights at once with the ability to intervene if an in-flight failure is encountered.

According to the company, Wisk’s 6th Generation aircraft has been designed with a tremendous amount of thought toward safety, comfort, and overall passenger experience. Generation 6 builds upon previous Wisk prototypes and is capable of carrying 4 passengers autonomously over a distance of 90 miles at 120 knots. Generation 6 also boasts a new, upsized cabin which allows ample storage for baggage and personal carry-on items, with improved passive noise reduction.

Wisk’s 6th Generation aircraft is also designed to be affordable, with a price target of $3 per passenger per mile. If target operating costs are achieved, Generation 6 could be comparable to the price of an ground based ride-hailing service like Uber or Lyft, depending on distance and traffic.

Why it matters: Focusing on autonomy truly unlocks the scale and full potential for the broader aerial mobility industry. As the first certification candidate for a self-flying vehicle to the FAA, Wisk has an opportunity to forge unprecedented advancements. Backed by Boeing’s 100+ year history in aerospace, Wisk may use the Generation 6 to entirely change the way we fly and travel.

Vertical Aerospace has added its VX4 prototype to the list of eVTOL aircraft which have achieved flight this past week. The announcement comes with the receipt of its Permit to Fly from the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and becomes the first British aerospace company to achieve first flight of an aircraft in 20 years.

The moment marked a significant milestone as Vertical continues to progress successfully through its intensive flight test program. The program is expected to continue for several months, completing different stages which will involve reaching higher altitudes and speeds and demonstrating the transition from vertical to forward flight.

Vertical Aerospace Chief Test Pilot, Justin Paines, said: “This test represented the culmination of many months preparation by a huge team, and being at the controls of the VX4 for the first time was an honor and a proud moment for us all.”

The company, unlike many of its competitors, decided to conduct its first flight tests with a pilot on board to prove it could meet the most stringent safety standards. To do this, Vertical Aerospace received regulatory approval in the form of a “Permit to Fly” from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), after demonstrating the test could be conducted safely.

The permit and the positive results of these early tests allow the teams at Vertical Aerospace to progress confidently on their mission to certify the VX4 by 2025. The aircraft is designed to carry a pilot plus four passengers, and is expected to have a range of up to 100 miles with the ability to cruise at speeds of around 150 miles per hour and a top speed of 200 miles per hour.

The company has already received more than 1,400 conditional pre-orders from some of the world’s leading airlines, operators, lessors and tourist groups including Virgin Atlantic, American Airlines, Japan Airlines and Air Asia. Especially notabl, Vertical recently announced that American Airlines has conditionally committed to make a pre-payment for its first 50 deliveries of the VX4, a strong vote of confidence from the airline industry.

Stephen Fitzpatrick, Founder & CEO, Vertical, said “This moment represents a small step for Vertical Aerospace, but it’s a giant leap forward for British aviation. For more than 100 years the UK has been a global leader in aviation and today, in the 21st century, Britain is leading the world in the development of zero carbon aircraft.”

Why it matters: With its impressive orderbook and strong financial backing, Vertical’s VX4 may be a big win for the aerial mobility space. By transitioning into the flight test stage of development, Vertical becomes much closer to realizing its eVTOL dreams and goal to certify by 2025.

Swedish electric aircraft manufacturer, Heart Aerospace, has joined the European Regions Airline Association (ERA), a trade association for European regional airlines and associated businesses.

Founded in 1980, ERA is a non-profit trade association representing over 55 airlines plus around another 150 companies involved in European air transport. ERA is the only association that brings together the entire spectrum of companies involved in European aviation.

The association supports and defends the airline industry in providing safe, efficient and sustainable air connectivity to all regions of Europe. By lobbying European regulatory bodies on policy matters, ERA promotes and protects social responsibility, environmental sustainability and the development of regional economies and local communities.

“We believe that electric air travel can be transformational in addressing the industry’s key sustainability challenges, and we look forward to working with the ERA in shaping the future of regional air travel in Europe,” said Anders Forslund, CEO of Heart Aerospace.

Last year, United Airlines announced plans to purchase up to 100 19-seat Heart Aerospace ES-19 electric aircraft. Heart has also gained investments from Breakthrough Energy Ventures, EQT Ventures, European Investment Council, Lower Carbon Capital, and Mesa Air Group.

“ERA is committed to supporting a transition to more sustainable aviation; hence, we are very pleased to welcome Heart Aerospace into membership. Heart is a pioneer for sustainable aviation, and with its mission to create not only the world’s greenest, but most affordable and accessible form of transport, I am sure the company will play a significant role in the future of Europe’s regional air sector,” said Montserrat Barriga, Director General, ERA.

As of publishing, Heart Aerospace will deliver the first ES-19 electric airliner certified for commercial flight by 2026.

Why it matters: For Heart Aerospace, membership of the ERA will be an important platform for cooperation and the exchange of ideas for sustainable growth of the European regional airline industry. Their participation in the association will also include Heart in important policy-making discussions for the infancy of electric flight in the EU.

Source // Heart Aerospace