Airbus is methodically continuing the development of the CityAirbus NextGen eVTOL aircraft it announced last September, reporting this week that it aims to fly a prototype toward the end of 2023. The four-seat design, which features a fixed-wing and fixed vertical and horizontal propellers, is expected to deliver a range of up to 80 miles at speeds of 75 mph, with a noise profile during landings of less than 70 dBA.
Despite providing an update on the program while announcing 2021 financial results for Airbus Helicopters, however, company CEO Bruno Even made clear that the European aerospace group has no intention of getting dragged into a bragging match with more vocal and aggressive eVTOL start-ups racing to get to market in 2024. “We want to be the voice of reason [in the advanced air mobility sector],” he commented. “There will be a time when we are in a position to commit [to the eVTOL market], but we are not there yet. We like to do what we say and say what we do.”
