Airbus and LCI Join Forces for the Creation of Sophisticated Urban Aviation Networks
Airbus and LCI Partner to Advance Urban Air Mobility
Airbus and LCI, a leading aviation company, have announced a collaboration to jointly develop ecosystems for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM). This partnership will focus on Airbus's CityAirbus NextGen electrically powered urban air taxi, aiming to integrate innovative urban air mobility solutions.
CityAirbus NextGen is Airbus's current generation electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft designed for urban air mobility. It offers zero-emission flight and aims to enable on-demand air taxi services in congested urban areas.
The collaboration with LCI supports the development and ecosystem-building for AAM in terms of infrastructure, operational procedures, and integration with existing aviation infrastructure. This partnership aligns with Airbus's strategic push into Advanced Air Mobility markets.
Airbus's work on AAM and CityAirbus NextGen fits into broader efforts under programs like Clean Aviation. These efforts target a significant CO2 emission reduction and maturation of technologies for market readiness by around 2035.
The collaboration likely involves aspects of technology maturation, demonstration, safety validations, and operational ecosystem readiness to support future deployment of urban air mobility vehicles like CityAirbus NextGen.
LCI will explore innovative leasing and finance solutions for potential customers of CityAirbus NextGen. They will evaluate new commercial structures in areas including fleet, battery, and charging network solutions. Both partners will collectively develop AAM market perspectives and forecasts.
The partnership will also focus on the development of partnership scenarios and business models in three core AAM areas: strategy, commercialisation, and financing. They will conduct industry research and harness data analytics to understand new applications and missions.
Jaspal Jandu, CEO of LCI, expressed delight about the new partnership with Airbus, while Balkiz Sarihan, CEO and Head of Urban Air Mobility at Airbus, expressed excitement about the collaboration with LCI.
Airbus has completed the assembly of its CityAirbus NextGen and powered it on at the end of 2023. As part of the collaboration, the test campaign for CityAirbus NextGen will commence, with the vehicle's testing taking place at Airbus's new AAM test centre in Donauwörth, Germany.
Airbus is expanding its global network and partnerships to create a unique ecosystem for Advanced Air Mobility. The partners will support the development of new AAM solutions, with LCI's network aiding in global take up and acceptance of Airbus's Advanced Air Mobility projects. The collaboration is expected to foster a successful and viable Advanced Air Mobility market, contributing to Airbus's aim of fostering sustainable and efficient aerial transportation within cities.
The hashtags associated with this announcement are: #AirbusHeli, #LCIaviation, #CityAirbusNextGen, #AAM, #HaiExpo24, and #sustainability.
[1] Source: Clean Aviation [3] Source: Airbus Urban Air Mobility Ambitions and LCI's Role in Aviation Sector
- The partnership between Airbus and LCI, as outlined in the strategy for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), will extend to finance and leasing solutions, with LCI exploring innovative options for potential CityAirbus NextGen customers, as well as evaluating new commercial structures in fleet, battery, and charging network solutions.
- Beyond the technology development and testing of the CityAirbus NextGen eVTOL aircraft, the collaboration between Airbus and LCI also aims to drive the maturity and market readiness of AAM solutions, focusing on partnership scenarios and business models within the strategy, commercialization, and financing aspects of the aerospace, finance, and technology industries.
