Airbus Helicopters began the construction process of a test centre for the CityAirbus NextGen, its electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft model. The facility, located in the German city of Donauwörth, is scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2023.
The centre will cover a total area of one thousand square metres and will be used for systems and operational evaluations of eVTOL aircraft. According to a company’s press release, all tests required prior to the maiden flight of CityAirbus NextGen can be performed there.
This means that the Donauwörth facility will be able to host full studies of the aircraft’s electric engines and its eight rotors, in addition to the stipulated tests on avionics and flight control systems.
“We are investing in the future of electric flight because we believe this technology holds key potential for zero-emission flights”, said Wolfgang Schoder, Managing Director of Airbus Helicopters in Germany. “Urban Air Mobility will change the way we travel in cities and beyond and it will be a new pillar of business for Airbus”, he added.
Key features
On September 21th, 2021, the company unveiled the CityAirbus NextGen as a prototype air vehicle designed to offer a new alternative in the emerging urban air mobility (UAM) environment. The European manufacturer’s aim was to put a firm foot in this growing segment of the industry.
According to Airbus, the aircraft will have a range of up to 80 kilometres and a cruising speed of up to 120 kilometres per hour. Like other eVTOLs, its characteristics make it an ideal choice for transportation in urban areas. In addition, it will operate with sound levels below 65 decibels during overflight and below 70 decibels during landing.
Airbus noted that the CityAirbus NextGen meets the highest certification standards, holding the European Aviation Safety Agency’s enhanced EASA SC-VTOL category.
See also: ILA 2022: Airbus selects two partners to develop the CityAirbus NextGen rear structure
