Recent changes in the leadership team at XTI Aircraft have prompted a fresh approach to efforts to produce the TriFan 600 aircraft. First, the Colorado-based company has opted out of the rush to be first to market in the hyperventilating advanced air mobility sector. Second, it has resolved to press ahead with turboshaft engines certified to use 100 percent sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and defer the introduction of electric propulsion until later iterations of the aircraft.
Earlier this month, newly appointed CEO Michael Hinderberger reported that planned first deliveries for the TriFan 600 have been pushed back by up to three years to 2027. Nonetheless, he still feels the model may end up beating some eVTOL contenders into service, as the aviation veteran views those start-ups' 2024 projections as unattainable given the challenges associated with certifying new types of aircraft.
