The fully electric CityAirbus NextGen would carry three passengers and a pilot over a range of fifty miles
Airbus and ITA Airways, the carrier that has its roots in the now defunct Alitalia, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate on urban air mobility (UAM) in Italy. The collaboration is intended to attract additional partners for the safe and sustainable launch of operations with the CityAirbus NextGen electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, currently in development. It is also intended to secure the public acceptance of UAM by demonstrating the added value that it can bring to communities.
Guillaume Faury, CEO of Airbus, said: “This agreement is testimony to the strong relationship between Airbus and ITA Airways. It is an opportunity to leverage our shared ambition – pioneering sustainable aerospace – and advance new air mobility solutions for zero-emission vertical flight in support of our cities and communities later this decade.”
The CityAirbus NextGen is a fully electric aircraft equipped with fixed wings, a V-shaped tail, and eight electrically powered propellers as part of its distributed propulsion system. It is designed to carry three passengers and a pilot in zero-emission flights, with an operational range of fifty miles and a cruise speed of 65kt.
Image: Airbus
