AirAsia Aviation Group, the parent company of AirAsia (AK, Kuala Lumpur Int’l), has signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding with Avolon to buy no less than 100 VX4 eVTOL (electric take-off and landing) aircraft, making it the primary such operator from South Asia -Eastern.
In a joint statement issued on February 16 throughout the Singapore Air Show, AirAsia and Avolon announced the formation of a working group that may give attention to local certification processes, exploring potential market prospects and infrastructure requirements for urban air mobility (UAM).
AirAsia’s mobile app, AirAsia Super App, will likely be used to support and expand Avolon’s eVTOL ridesharing platform.
Avolon will partner with AirAsia to commercialize zero-emission eVTOL aircraft and establish an industry-leading UAM platform in Southeast Asia through its investment and innovation subsidiary Avolon-e.
Capital A (formerly AirAsia Group) CEO Tony Fernandes told Reuters that flights would begin in 2025, with authorities in Malaysia and Singapore expected to issue approvals for operations much before in Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines.
He stated that the air ridesharing services will likely be bookable through the AirAsia mobile app and will likely be provided at an inexpensive price, exactly according to the low-cost carrier’s regular flights.
Fernandes told reporters: “We don’t need it to be an exclusive product.” “We want this product to be accessible to everyone.”
In June 2021, Avolon pre-ordered 500 VX4 eVTOL aircraft for $2 billion from Vertical Aerospace to make them available to airline customers worldwide. In Brazil, Avolon operated 250 VX4 aircraft with GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes (G3, Sao Paulo Congonhas) and Grupo Comporte, in addition to as much as 100 aircraft with JAL – Japan Airlines (JL, Tokyo Haneda).
According to Avolon CEO Domhnal Slattery, who was just named president of Vertical, demand for eVTOL is “exceptionally high.”
He suggested that Avolon would make a “very essential announcement” on Wednesday in cooperation with a “major Southeast Asian operator” that might help the leasing company sell 500 planes it bought last yr.
Vertical Aerospace describes the VX4 as a four-seater, piloted, zero-emission electric aircraft with a speed of as much as 321 km/h and a spread of 160 kilometers. The VX4 is predicted to be nearly silent during flight.
American Airlines, Avolon, Virgin Atlantic, Iberojet (Spain), Bristow Group and Japan’s Marubeni Aerospace have committed to pre-orders or pre-order options, bringing the pre-order backlog to a complete of 1,350 aircraft price $5.4 billion.
Startups all over the world are racing to perfect the technology underlying eVTOL, which could give rise to a brand new generation of low-emission aircraft while providing carriers with a brand new revenue stream by enabling them to supply helicopter-like services at a reduced cost.
Joby Aviation Inc., a rival flying taxi company, said it could also partner with ANA Holdings Inc. to introduce shared air travel to Japan.
Yes, flying taxis are getting closer to transportation!
Source: Reuters, Bloomberg, CH-Aviation
