Lilium’s MoU with PhilJets calls for the delivery of 10 aircraft. Image: Lilium
Production of the first Lilium Jet is well underway, with the European electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicle manufacturer progressing towards ground and flight testing this year, with its first flight expected in December, said Sebastien Borel, Lilium’s Chief Commercial Officer.
The company is also progressing with collaborative partnerships and building the supporting ecosystem, announcing several deals at the Singapore Air Show.
A memorandum of understanding with PhilJets includes an intent to purchase 10 Lilium Jets and plans for collaboration on establishing an eVTOL network across the Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries, including Cambodia. The eVTOL is seen as ideally suited to the Philippines, which has more than 7,500 islands. The partners will work together on identifying routes, city pairs and passenger demand, as well as sites and requirements for landing infrastructure.
Lilium is expecting the Asia-Pacific region to account for almost one-third of its future activities, Borel told RotorHub International. The company already has numerous partnerships in the region, including in China, where it sees “fantastic opportunities”, said Borel. Lilium has MoUs for 100 aircraft from Heli Eastern and an MoU with CITIC Offshore Helicopters for an undisclosed number of aircraft.
The manufacturer currently has total letters of intent for 700-plus aircraft and firm orders for 45.
Lilium is also building its support network for operations, including the establishment of the Lilium Power-On customer service organisation. The business will offer training services, maintenance operations, material and battery management, global distribution, flight operations support, ground service equipment, and digital solutions.
Lilium already has a number of partnerships for its services business, including flight training with Lufthansa Aviation Training and FlightSafety International, global material services with AJW Group, and digital aircraft health management solutions with Palantir.
“You need a holistic approach for the ecosystem. We are the only developer looking at the aftermarket,” said Borel.
It has also partnered with charging infrastructure specialist Star Charge to develop, customise and provide charging systems for the Lilium Jet. Lilium has initially ordered 120 chargers for its ground and flight test aircraft, as well as for its aircraft maintenance and delivery centre activities.
