Airlines are positioning themselves more and more clearly on the rise of theeVTOLthe electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft. The latest example: Lufthansa. As announced at the beginning of December, the German group will be working with Lilium. This German start-up based in Munich was launched in 2015. And its tie-up with Lufthansa Group comes on the heels of the start of production of the Lilium Jet.
" Innovation is part of our DNA "says Detlef Kayser, Head of Fleet and Technology at the German group. " The Lufthansa Group aims to be a global leader in the integration of state-of-the-art products and processes. We want to further develop aviation and lead the transformation of the industry. This Memorandum of Understanding with Lilium will make a major contribution to this. Only with innovation, courage and determination can we, as an industry, make aviation more sustainable and meet the challenges of the future. ".
For the time being, Lufthansa is proceeding cautiously, contenting itself with " exploring opportunities for innovation in aviation, discussing areas such as ground and flight operations, future aircraft maintenance, and crew and pilot training ". The press release refers to " a possible strategic partnership "which will involve the analysing opportunities for collaboration with third parties such as airports and regional partners, for example in the advancement of infrastructure such as vertiports, airspace integration and the definition of required operating processes ".
The management of Lilium estimates that the European market will require around 9,200 eVTOL aircraft between now and 2035. " We are delighted that the Lufthansa Group has decided to cooperate with us to move forward together into the future of aviation. says Klaus Roewe, CEO of Lilium.. "The Lufthansa Group has been at the forefront of some of the most important aviation initiatives in Europe, particularly in the area of environmental sustainability. We are delighted to explore the possibilities of offering eVTOL flights to Lufthansa Group customers. "he continues.
