The companies dedicated to electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOL) are developing their models as a step prior to the start of their commercialization in the coming years. However, UK-based Vertical Aerospace promises to have its first fully functional prototype ready in the coming weeks to begin flight tests before the end of the summer.
In a recent letter issued to the company’s shareholders on August 8, confirmation is made that the project continues to run and at a better rate than ever. This comes from the recent communication about a net operating loss of about $47 million over the first six months of 2022, which they described as “a necessary investment to achieve their business objectives”. However, this will not be the only capital outflow that they expect for this 2022, since they calculate that for the last half of the year, they will have to make a new investment of between 48 and 60 million dollars.
However, all this comes with a completely relevant news for the British company, and that is that, in the coming weeks, will begin with the first effective flight tests of the VX4, its electric aircraft with capacity for four occupants. During the first half of this year, the company has completed the development and design of this aircraft, which is currently completing its ground tests.
From the company they have also reported that, today, it is the one that highest number of orders for an eVTOL aircraft in the entire market, as they have a portfolio of more than 1,400 firm orders. This figure has caused a stir in the Urban Air Mobility (UAM) sector. Among its most prominent partners are companies such as American Airlines, who agreed to an acquisition of 50 aircraft with the possibility of acquiring an additional 350 units subsequently.
The VX4 aircraft was initially heralded as one of the most capable electric models in the industry, as it has an estimated top speed of 320 km/hwhich would mean the transfer of travelers from the center of London to Heathrow airport in just 12 minutes. Its flight autonomy will be 160 kilometers with its batteries at 100% charge. For its development, the British company had companies as prominent in the aeronautical sector as Rolls-Royce, Honeywell or Leonardo.
The Leonardo company is building the VX4 fuselage at its facilities located in southern Italy, which is considered one of the most advanced in the sector. Due to the high number of orders that the electric aircraft already has, From Leonardo they hope to increase production to 2,000 units per year. Rolls-Royce, for its part, is the company in charge of developing its high-performance powertrain.
Currently, the company is completing certain sections for the achievement of the simultaneous certification of the Aviation Safety Agency of the European Union (EASA) and the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), with the aim of starting passenger transport services in both regions from the year 2025.
