Vertical Aerospace (“Vertical”), a prominent leader in the aerospace and technology sector committed to pioneering zero-emissions flight, has announced a collaborative development initiative with Leonardo for the design, testing, production, and supply of the carbon composite airframe for Vertical’s VX4 electric aircraft.
Vertical and Leonardo will collaborate on enhancing lightweight composite frameworks, modular configurations, systems integration, and structural assessment for the joint development of the aircraft’s airframe. This collaboration is established for a minimum of six certification aircraft, leading to the successful accreditation of the VX4. The agreement also outlines the potential expansion of airframe production to 2,000 units annually to fulfill Vertical’s prominent market-leading order book requirements. Vertical claims to possess the largest conditional pre-order backlog (by value) within the eVTOL sector, totaling up to 1,350 aircraft valued at $5.4 billion from entities such as American Airlines, Avolon, Bristow, and Iberojet, along with pre-order options from Virgin Atlantic and Marubeni, and via Avolon’s placements, including airlines JAL and Gol.
Leonardo boasts extensive experience in developing and manufacturing composite aerostructures for both civil and defense applications. The aerospace enterprise also maintains a close association with Vertical’s strategic composite material provider, Solvay. The two firms are jointly advancing innovative materials and manufacturing techniques that will facilitate the high-volume production of the VX4.
Vertical’s alliance with Leonardo reinforces its exceptional network of collaborators, which includes Rolls-Royce, Honeywell, Solvay, GKN, and Microsoft. Vertical continues to expand its team of skilled engineers and aviation professionals and anticipates initiating the VX4’s flight test program later in 2022.
Vertical’s VX4 is setting the stage for cutting-edge air mobility and is projected to transform our travel experience. The nearly silent, fully electric, piloted aircraft aims to achieve a range of
over 100 miles and attain peak speeds of up to 200 mph. With a four-passenger capacity, the zero-emission VX4 will also offer a low cost per passenger mile, comparable to that of a taxi.
Michael Cervenka, President of Vertical remarked: “Vertical is at the forefront of electric aviation and is dedicated to reimagining the way individuals commute. I have been incredibly impressed by Leonardo’s innovative and industry-leading technical expertise and manufacturing capabilities, and our collaboration has taken off successfully. I’m excited that Leonardo will be partnering with us on this journey. We have a leading pre-order backlog for our VX4, and this alliance will ensure we can scale the program to meet the demand.”
Lucio Valerio Cioffi, General Manager of Leonardo, stated: “Advanced air mobility is integral to Leonardo’s mission of innovation, utilizing our state-of-the-art, human-centered technology and industrial expertise. We are honored to collaborate with Vertical as part of our strategic vision in this groundbreaking sector.”
Giancarlo Schisano, Managing Director of Leonardo’s Aerostructures Division emphasized: “Leonardo, as a partner to the world’s top commercial aircraft builders, specializes in the fabrication and assembly of key structural composite and metallic components for commercial aircraft. We strive to incorporate innovative technologies, materials, and processes into our established practices across our manufacturing facilities. This will be evident at our Grottaglie plant in Southern Italy, where we will focus our VX4 initiatives; this facility is among the most advanced sites in Europe for producing composite aerostructures.”
The ongoing evolution and integration of state-of-the-art solutions across all sectors, including Advanced Air Mobility, is a pivotal aspect of Leonardo’s BeTomorrow2030 Strategic Plan.
