Photo: Lilium
If you're excited about the prospect of emission-free urban air taxi flights, you'll be happy to hear about not just one but two important developments in connection to the New York area.
A series of pioneering eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) flights in New York highlighted the plans for turning the Downtown Manhattan Heliport into a future hub for electric aviation. Recently, a step further in that direction confirmed that the heliport will have an agnostic operator. This is good news for all eVTOL makers because it was specifically intended as a way to accommodate various types of eVTOLs.
The confirmation came as NYCEDC (the New York City Economic Development Corporation) completed the RFP (request for proposals) phase of its project for the Downtown Manhattan Heliport. We can expect a multitude of innovative aircraft to operate at this new hub, and this includes the Lilium eVTOL jet.
The German eVTOL maker believes that its flagship aircraft, claiming to be the first of its kind worldwide, is particularly compatible with air taxi operations in New York compared to its competitors. That's mostly because, while many eVTOLs are designed for short-range intra-city flights, the Lilium aircraft can promise regional air mobility.
What would this look like? During the initial stage, the Lilium jet would be able to reach locations such as the Hamptons, Atlantic City, and Philadelphia. Later on, the German-designed jet could even connect New York to places like Baltimore, Boston, and Martha's Vineyard. Imagine taking an electric jet from NYC to Martha's Vineyard, avoiding the traffic, and arriving on time with the added bonus of no emissions. This later development primarily depends on how fast global battery technology will evolve.
The Lilium aircraft doesn't use a hybrid approach to extend its range. Instead, it adapted the existing jet propulsion technology to electric operations. The result is what claims to be the world's first eVTOL jet. The power-lift configuration based on DEVT (Ducted Electric Vectored Thrust) technology claims to improve overall performance while also enabling a bigger payload.
The Munich-based aviation company has also secured a series of top-tier suppliers for its flagship aircraft. Collins Aerospace will provide a custom-made pilot interface, GKN Aerospace is developing dedicated electric wiring interconnection systems, and Honeywell will supply the DENSO electric motors.
The launch version of the Lilium eVTOL, known as the Lilium Pioneer Edition Jet, will be available for purchase in the US as well as selected European locations. In America, the Texas-based aircraft brokerage and management company EMCJET was designated as the exclusive dealer for private sales until 2030. In its home country, Lilium has teamed up with Lufthansa to explore potential AAM (Advanced Air Mobility) operations in the near future. The Lilium jet is expected to be certified in both Europe and the US by 2026.
The confirmation came as NYCEDC (the New York City Economic Development Corporation) completed the RFP (request for proposals) phase of its project for the Downtown Manhattan Heliport. We can expect a multitude of innovative aircraft to operate at this new hub, and this includes the Lilium eVTOL jet.
The German eVTOL maker believes that its flagship aircraft, claiming to be the first of its kind worldwide, is particularly compatible with air taxi operations in New York compared to its competitors. That's mostly because, while many eVTOLs are designed for short-range intra-city flights, the Lilium aircraft can promise regional air mobility.
What would this look like? During the initial stage, the Lilium jet would be able to reach locations such as the Hamptons, Atlantic City, and Philadelphia. Later on, the German-designed jet could even connect New York to places like Baltimore, Boston, and Martha's Vineyard. Imagine taking an electric jet from NYC to Martha's Vineyard, avoiding the traffic, and arriving on time with the added bonus of no emissions. This later development primarily depends on how fast global battery technology will evolve.
The Lilium aircraft doesn't use a hybrid approach to extend its range. Instead, it adapted the existing jet propulsion technology to electric operations. The result is what claims to be the world's first eVTOL jet. The power-lift configuration based on DEVT (Ducted Electric Vectored Thrust) technology claims to improve overall performance while also enabling a bigger payload.
The Munich-based aviation company has also secured a series of top-tier suppliers for its flagship aircraft. Collins Aerospace will provide a custom-made pilot interface, GKN Aerospace is developing dedicated electric wiring interconnection systems, and Honeywell will supply the DENSO electric motors.
The launch version of the Lilium eVTOL, known as the Lilium Pioneer Edition Jet, will be available for purchase in the US as well as selected European locations. In America, the Texas-based aircraft brokerage and management company EMCJET was designated as the exclusive dealer for private sales until 2030. In its home country, Lilium has teamed up with Lufthansa to explore potential AAM (Advanced Air Mobility) operations in the near future. The Lilium jet is expected to be certified in both Europe and the US by 2026.
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