An aircraft leasing company Avolon has partnered with Greenland-based flag carrier airline Air Greenland to bring zero-emissions travel to the region and help tackle the issue of climate change. As a part of the agreement, the airline is committing to purchasing or leasing a fleet of VX4 eVTOL aircraft manufactured by Vertical Aerospace from Avolon.
Vertical Aerospace claims that the VX4 will be the most advanced and safest eVTOL in the market and will be built to EASA safety certification standards. The VX4 eVTOL aircraft will be near silent when in flight and have zero operating emissions. The aircraft will be capable of transporting four passengers and one pilot to distances of over 100 miles (160 km) at up to 200 mph (322 km/h).
The eVTOL will boast top-level technology from Rolls-Royce, Leonardo, and Honeywell and will comply with the same safety requirements as commercial aircraft.
The number of VX4 eVTOL aircrafts to be acquired is yet to be determined and will be subject to assessment by a working group formed between Avolon and Air Greenland. The working group will also collaborate to identify local infrastructure and certification requirements for operating the aircraft in Greenland – a region with a particular interest in environmental preservation.
“In Greenland, we see the effects of climate change every day and, as a company, we want to be at the forefront of the climate revolution,” said Jacob Nitter Sørensen, CEO of Air Greenland. “The VX4 aircraft will have many uses for Air Greenland and, through our partnership with Avolon, we look forward to welcoming our first travelers onboard in the near future – flying our guests to Ilimanaq Lodge to show the visible impacts that climate change is having on our country and planet.”
Last summer, Avolon ordered 500 VX4 eVTOL aircraft from Vertical, estimated at $2 billion. Since announcing that order, Avolon placed 250 VX4 aircraft with Gol and Grupo Comporte in Brazil, up to 100 aircraft with Japan Airlines in Japan, and a minimum of 100 aircraft with AirAsia. Avolon has now placed up to 90% of its initial order book, underlining the demand for VX4 aircraft from the world’s leading airlines.
