8-Sep-2023 Source: VÆRIDION
The Danish companies Copenhagen AirTaxi and Copenhagen Helicopter – both based at Roskilde Airport – along with German aircraft manufacturer VÆRIDION, have today signed a cooperation agreement aimed at accelerating the green transition of regional aviation in the Nordic region. By 2030 at the latest, the first 100% electric flights are expected to be introduced on domestic routes in Denmark.
“We believe that the Nordic region will become the first in the world to implement this new form of air transport, made possible by the launch of our 100% electric Microliner aircraft. And with Copenhagen Air Taxi and Copenhagen Helicopter, we have found the ideal partners to promote our transportation concept in the Nordic countries, starting in Denmark,“ says Ivor van Dartel, CEO and Co-founder of VÆRIDION.
He explains that Copenhagen AirTaxi and Copenhagen Helicopter contribute with their networks, extensive market knowledge, and operational experience, while VÆRIDION provides groundbreaking flight technology. In close collaboration, the partners will pave the way for a more sustainable future of aviation.
Ivor van Dartel emphasizes that aviation is rightfully under pressure to become more sustainable, and the Microliner will be a significant step towards the necessary green revolution in air transportation, starting this decade.
“To ensure an efficient development, we have first been developing the enabling technologies, such as the integrated battery-wing-box, within a conventional but highly optimized design of a fixedwing airplane. In the next phase our skilled engineers will work in close collaboration with Copenhagen AirTaxi, Copenhagen Helicopter and others, to incorporate the operator and passenger needs into the final design,” he says.
VÆRDION has made substantial progress in developing the Microliner, a 9-seater, 100% electric aircraft. The Microliner will be certified and delivered before 2030, after which it can be deployed on shorter routes of up to 500 km. According to Henrik Bendix, Co-founder and Chairman of Copenhagen Helicopter, the Microliner could have a significant impact on people´s mobility and contribute to increasing cohesion within each country.
“The introduction of the Microliner will encourage a development where people can live, work, and study more freely, while maintaining a good work/life balance. Additionally, it will remove a significant amount of CO2 from the roads and reduce the need to maintain and expand road infrastructure,“ he says, emphasizing that Copenhagen Helicopter looks forward to purposefully contributing to unlocking the full potential of the Microliner in Denmark and the rest of the Nordic region.
Jimmy Arly Larsen, Accountable Manager of Copenhagen AirTaxi, points out that approximately 1.6 million passengers are transported annually on domestic routes in Denmark alone. The Microliner could play a key role in realizing the Danish government’s ambition for all domestic flights to be fossil-free by 2030.
“It would be a logical first step for us to test the Microliner on our Læsø route and subsequently expand our domestic route network with Microliner aircraft,“ says Jimmy Arly Larsen.
According to Martin Winther Andersen, Co-founder and CEO of Copenhagen Helicopter, the Microliner could play a crucial role in the future of Mobility as a Service-based (MaaS) personal transport. MaaS involves a shift away from personally owned modes of transport towards mobility delivered as a service. Specifically, this means that people will be able to plan, book, and pay for
various mobility services in one digital solution.
“The new green aircraft type requires significantly shorter take-off and landing distances than traditional aircraft, which allows the use of smaller airfields that are no longer utilized for commercial routes. These routes were abandoned as aircraft types gradually became larger. The Microliner can change that, allowing us to create a dense network of domestic routes again,“ says
Martin Winther Andersen.
He adds that areas outside of airports and closer to urban centers could also be used as take-off and landing points for the Microliner. He further reveals that Copenhagen Helicopter, as a basis for the agreement with VÆRIDION, has been analyzing leading projects in eVTOL (Electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing) and eSTOL (Electric Short Take-Off and Landing) for several years.
“Based on that, there is no doubt that VÆRIDION’s technological solutions are among the global leaders. We are very pleased with the agreement and look forward to a collaboration that will accelerate the green transition of regional aviation in Denmark, the Nordic region, and the rest of the world,“ he concludes.
