FutureFlight
Lilium To Step Up eVTOL Program Expenditure Under New CEO Klaus Roewe
In a shareholders' letter, the company says it aims to have the basis for type certification of its seven-seat eVTOL aircraft fully agreed to by EASA by the end of 2022.
Lilium's seven-seat eVTOL aircraft
Among several design changes to the Lilium Jet, the company has slightly reduced the length of its fuselage to save on weight and materials, and a landing gear has been added. (Image: Lilium)

Lilium says it is starting the certification and industrialization phase of its plan to bring its first seven-seat eVTOL aircraft to market in 2025. In a June 7 briefing for shareholders, the public company confirmed that former Airbus executive Klaus Roewe will take the helm as its CEO on August 1, succeeding co-founder Daniel Wiegand, who will continue as a board member and chief engineer for innovation and future programs.

With the preliminary design review for the Lilium Jet now complete, a key task for the second half of 2022 is to agree on a full certification program with EASA. This step represents the European aviation safety agency’s equivalent to the FAA’s G-2 issue paper. Under bilateral agreements, the company is seeking concurrent certification with the U.S. regulator and Brazil’s ANAC agency.