Recently announced plans for Luxaviation to partner with aircraft engines manufacturer Rolls-Royce in providing infrastructure, services, and support for advanced air mobility (AAM) represent one of the strongest signals so far that the mainstream business aviation industry could play a role in the new sector. In late February, the companies signed a memorandum of understanding that is expected to lead to Rolls-Royce’s electrical and power systems divisions joining forces with business aircraft and private air terminal operator Luxaviation to provide charging and energy infrastructure for vertiports, maintenance for electric aircraft, and digital solutions to support commercial operations of eVTOL and eSTOL aircraft.
Europe-based Luxaviation has been involved in private aviation since 1964, and today operates a large fleet of business jets and helicopters under 15 national air operators certificates, making them available for charter under management contracts with their owners. It also runs a network of more than 120 VIP terminals (known in the business aviation sector as FBOs) at airports worldwide.
In May 2021, German eVTOL developer Lilium announced an agreement under which Luxaviation is set to commercially operate its seven-seat eVTOL aircraft in Europe starting in 2024. Under the terms of the contract, Luxaviation will take responsibility for securing regulatory approvals and managing pilots, who will train following an EASA-approved type rating concept developed by Lilium partner Lufthansa Aviation Training.
Over the past two or three years, Rolls-Royce Electrical has been stepping up its involvement in developing all-electric and hybrid-electric propulsion systems for new aircraft such as Vertical Aerospace’s VX4 eVTOL model and also for fixed-wing types, including Tecnam’s planned PVolt regional aircraft. The UK-based group’s Power Systems division is increasingly focused on the provision of fast-charging capability for electric aircraft, and the development of sustainable power for the anticipated new vertiports.
There are many reasons for new AAM companies to turn to established industry players, according to Christophe Lapierre, Luxaviation’s head of strategy and president of business aviation support services. In his view, regulators are more likely to feel comfortable approving early use cases that involve already certified facilities and aircraft operators, and passengers will also be more inclined to try the new vehicles if they are operated by service providers they already know.
“We need to distinguish between what is being announced [by eVTOL start-ups] and what they need to say to support fundraising about vertical integration and maximizing financial returns, and what it will take to be effective in real-life operations,” Lapierre told FutureFlight. His comments implied that some of the new players loudly proclaiming that they don't require the expertise of established aviation and air transport companies may find that they need to take a more pragmatic and collaborative approach as they get closer to type certification and service entry.
“The [eVTOL air taxi] services need to be provided by someone different from the company that is building the aircraft, because there needs to be an external push to improve these products to keep improving products and enhance customer experience,” Lapierre commented. “The structure of the [AAM] ecosystem will play against this concentration [of service providers being the same companies that manufacture aircraft]. For instance, insurance and finance companies won’t want to concentrate their risk in this way.”
Luxaviation’s plans with Rolls-Royce envisage initial electric aircraft operations being supported from existing FBOs at airports, most likely in less than four years from now. As the AAM sector builds momentum, the Luxembourg-based group and its partner expect to be involved in establishing and supporting operations in new urban locations.
“We want to optimize our existing facilities by electrifying FBOs so that they can support not only eVTOLs but electric [fixed-wing] aircraft to operate on longer regional flights,” Lapierre explained. “The larger ramp-up will take more time and will depend on customers being able to see the first operations in established facilities; plus, it will take a long time to amortize the cost of the new infrastructure.”
The agreement will facilitate the deployment of maintenance capabilities across a network. According to Lapierre, the new wave of would-be electric aircraft manufacturers have not yet fully addressed this essential part of the ecosystem, which he said the respective technical strengths of Luxaviation and Rolls-Royce are well placed to address.
Luxaviation intends to make its facilities available to multiple eVTOL aircraft operators, including competitors, as it already does in the private jet charter market. “Today we are a business aircraft operator, for both jets and VTOLs [helicopters],” he concluded. “We operate for companies and private clients, providing services for both our fleet and external fleets. We don’t buy or own the assets we offer for charter. So when private companies, cities, manufacturers, or transportation networks ask us for help we will act as we do today, as a management company.”
Luxaviation and Rolls-Royce are already engaged in joint feasibility studies for establishing AAM services at several undisclosed locations. They expect to start trial operations at some initial facilities that will most likely be in Europe.
“As part of our strategy, we are looking to ensure we understand how we can deliver maintenance and services for the new aircraft, building on our existing MRO and analytics capabilities,” said Rolls-Royce Electrical president Rob Watson. “Rolls-Royce is set to build on our existing network to offer maintenance services for electrical systems. Furthermore, Rolls-Royce Power Systems is able to offer microgrid solutions to support fast-charging of electric aircraft and deliver reliable, cost-effective, and climate-friendly sustainable power to vertiports.”
