Air taxi services using new eVTOL aircraft are coming to several regions of Europe under a pair of agreements signed this week by Lilium and new customers at the Farnborough Airshow. Between them, Norway-based AAP Aviation Group and ASL Group, which maintains operations in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg, plan to add almost 50 of the seven-seat Lilium Jet all-electric aircraft to their fleets.
Starting in Norway, AAP says it intends to purchase 40 Lilium Jets and develop a network of landing sites across Scandinavia. The company, which specializes in airline crew management, says the flights of up to around 156 miles will supplement existing regional airline routes.
Lilium expects to achieve EASA type certification in 2025. The piloted Lilium Jet will fly to a range of 155 miles and at speeds up to 175 mph. The manufacturer believes that it could scale the design for a version that would accommodate between 10 and 15 seats.
“Due to the mix of water, terrain, and mountains, Norway is particularly well suited to regional air mobility,” said AAP’s chief executive Espen Hølby. “With its vertical takeoff and landing capability, high speed, and regional range, the Lilium Jet can achieve hours of time savings compared with today’s transportation modes. The Lilium Jet performance, its low noise profile, and its spacious cabin makes it the ideal aircraft to develop sustainable air transport in Scandinavia.”
ASL’s agreement calls for a potential purchase of six Lilium Jets and plans to develop a network of flights across the Benelux region. Currently, the company’s main focus is business jet operations and it plans to transition to electric aircraft as part of the Responsible Initiative for Sustainable Environment program it launched in 2020.
“With the highest population density in Europe, Benelux represents a perfect use case for eVTOL transportation, and we are proud to support ASL’s development in the region,” said Lilium CEO Daniel Wiegand.
