Air Taxi Service Starts Building Planes for 2024 Test Flights

The developer of an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) jet has started building the first of seven plane bodies on its road to certification of its planned commuter jets.

The fuselage for the Lilium jet was developed and is being built by Aciturri in Spain, with delivery to Lilium facilities in Germany in the last quarter of 2023.

Aciturri, also a Lilium investor, has designed and manufactured airframe components for Airbus, Boeing and Embraer.

“We’re delighted to kick off assembly of the first Lilium Jet fuselage at Aciturri, bringing us one step closer to reshaping sustainable regional air mobility,” said Yves Yemsi, COO of Lilium. “We see this as further evidence that our approach of teaming with proven aerospace suppliers to bring our cutting edge eVTOL aircraft to market is the optimal strategy as we advance along a path to certification and entry into service of the Lilium jet.”

Lilium recently announced it secured $192 million in financing in addition to a coming public offering. It received funding from different investors including board members and Tencent Holdings, one of its initial backers.

The company, founded in 2015, has manufacturing facilities in Munich, Germany, with teams in the U.S. and Europe.

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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently issued Lilium a certificate validation of its Jet. The company previously obtained airworthiness authority from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency.

Lilium is among a small number of companies seeking certification of its electric aerial vehicle (EAV) for both the U.S. and Europe. It also plans an eVTOL for jet travel.

The company is not alone in the race for new air transportation services, including flying cars, personal air vehicles, both ultralight that do not require a pilot license, and certified, which require a license.

One eVTOL company, Joby Aviation, recently announced the planned building of a facility in Dayton, Ohio, to deliver up to 500 eVTOL vehicles a year.

The new manufacturing facility is the foundation for a planned aerial ride-sharing network. Joby has partnerships with Uber and Delta Air Lines.