La Línea Vertical is participating in one of the most innovative projects on the current aeronautical scene, the first electric air taxi that will make regional journeys around Spain and other countries.
This is a joint initiative of the German company Lilium, developer of the first fully electric vertical take-off and landing vehicle (eVTOL), and Hélity Copter Airlines, the Spanish airline that connects North Africa and Southern Europe with its helicopters. The initial idea is to transport passengers between the cities of Malaga, Ceuta and Algeciras using electric air vehicles (which they have named Lilium Jet).
The Lilium Jets are currently in the testing phase, which is being carried out in the town of Villacarrillo in Jaén at the ATLAS experimental flight centre, the first European centre authorised to carry out flight tests with these aircraft, managed by CATEC-AERO.
La Línea Vertical is participating in this pioneering project in Europe, taking charge of the Fire, Emergency and First Aid Service. According to Carlos Martín Díaz de Espada, managing partner of La Línea Vertical, the tests being carried out could lead to emergency situations (as in any testing phase of such complex systems), especially a hypothetical malfunction of the batteries used by the aerojets. This is why a specific team of firefighters is needed, “and our company has great professionals trained in safety and emergencies who are capable of dealing with this type of situation”, Carlos Martín points out.
Some 80 professionals from all branches of engineering are currently involved in the Lilium Jet project, led by the Lilium company. Of these professionals, two are rescue and first aid technicians from La Línea Vertical. Fernando Ceballos, one of these technicians from our company, indicates that their main task is to assist the aircraft in case of fire. To do this, every day they check the firefighting system equipment, including the extinguishing vehicle and personal equipment, to ensure that everything is in perfect condition. In addition, on the days of the flights, they attend the pre-flight briefings where all aspects of the test to be carried out are discussed. At this meeting, the possible risks that may arise and how to act in the event of an incident are also discussed.
During the test, La Línea Vertical technicians are positioned on the runway and are operational for the entire duration of the flight. Afterwards, they hold meetings to analyse how the test has developed.
In addition, our technicians periodically carry out fire drills and simulations, both on the runway and in the surroundings of the site where the tests are carried out; they carry out reconnaissance of the terrain in order to detect the points of greatest risk and those that are difficult to access in the event of an accident. Fernando Ceballos assures that they have already identified areas where forced landings can be made, should they be necessary.
The aircraft
Lilium Jet is an electric vehicle specially designed to take off and land vertically, using only electrical energy. One of the special features of this aircraft is its carefully designed aerodynamics, which dispenses with the classic vertical tail stabiliser. To achieve maximum efficiency, its creators decided to integrate the engines into the wings with a self-developed thrust vectoring system.
“Electric jet engines integrated into the wing flaps provide advantages in payload, aerodynamic efficiency and a lower noise profile,” Lilium says, adding that they provide greater control of engine thrust in each phase of flight.
The cruising speed is 280 kilometres per hour with a range of 250 kilometres, more than enough to cover the route between Ceuta, Algeciras and Malaga. All this at an altitude of up to 3,000 metres and with a sound footprint approximately seven times less than that generated by a helicopter. It has a capacity of between four and six passengers.
Lilium intends to sell five of these vehicles to Hélity in order to create an eVTOL network between Ceuta and Andalusia. The airline intends to use the electric vehicles to offer premium and business charter flights to its customers, and currently operates an Augusta-Westlan AW-139 helicopter with a capacity of 15 passengers.
“Southern Spain attracts a high demand for premium tourism. Combined with Hélity’s extensive local knowledge and experience in helicopter operation, as well as the recruitment of highly qualified pilots, we have the ideal conditions for the development of a sustainable air mobility network in the region,” argues Daniel Wiegnad, CEO of Lilium. So it seems that the idea of being able to travel in an electric air taxi is very close to becoming a reality, and La Línea Vertical is part of this cutting-edge electric mobility project that has a great future ahead of it.