Vertical takeoff and landing, ITA Airways signs protocol for alternative mobility with Airbus
ITA Airways and Airbus have signed a Memorandum of Understanding regarding collaboration in urban air mobility (UAM) in [...]
ITA Airways
SkyTeam
ITA Airways and Airbus signed a Memorandum of Understanding regarding collaboration in urban air mobility (UAM) in Italy. The two companies will explore the creation of tailor-made UAM services, identifying emission-free sustainable mobility solutions.
In this article:
The agreement includes a joint approach toward mobility stakeholders, with the goal of engaging additional partners for the development of the electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOL): the CityAirbus NextGen. The two companies will also work to share with public agencies the high degree of innovation and added value this new air-urban mobility can bring to communities.
CityAirbus NextGen is an all-electric vehicle with fixed wings, V-shaped tail and eight electric propellers as part of its propulsion system distinguished by a unique design. It is designed to carry up to four passengers, including the pilot, in zero-emission flights. CityAirbus NextGen was developed to fly with an operating range of 80 km and to reach a cruising speed of 120 km/h, making it perfectly suited for fast and environmentally friendly transportation in cities.
Did you get your flight cancelled, miss your connection, land late?
You could get up to 600€ compensation per person
"The agreement signed today between ITA Airways and Airbus, represents a step forward in the already existing partnership between the two companies, and aims to develop more modern, more comfortable and more environmentally friendly air mobility equipped with cutting-edge technologies." said Alfredo Altavilla, Executive Chairman of ITA Airways. "Today our partnership expands to the air-urban mobility segment for a broader, customer-centric offering, the core of our strategy."
"This agreement demonstrates the strong relationship between Airbus and ITA Airways." commented Guillaume Faury, CEO of Airbus.. "This is an opportunity for us to leverage a shared ambition: to be forerunners in sustainable aerospace and develop new zero-emission vertical flight air mobility solutions to support both our cities and their communities over the next decade."
For ITA Airways, the Italian national airline., sustainability is one of the key pillars of its business plan, with a strong interest in innovative projects aimed at decarbonizing aviation, such as the development of urban air mobility with eVTOLs. Through the partnership signed with Airbus, ITA Airways has purchased 28 aircraft from Airbus, including seven A220, eleven A320neo and ten A330neo. The A350, the company's first, will also go into operation later this summer.
Since 2014, Airbus R&D has been analyzing how electric propulsion can help drive the evolution of new air vehicles. In September 2021, the company unveiled its all-electric eVTOL prototype: precisely the CityAirbus NextGen. Airbus is developing a UAM solution with eVTOL both to offer a new mobility service and to mark an important step in research aimed at reducing emissions from its product range.
