Dufour Aerospace has appointed Scandinavian rotorcraft sales and marketing group Savback Helicopters as a distributor for its planned Aero2 and Aero3 hybrid electric eVTOL aircraft in Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, and Iceland. The Switzerland-based manufacturer indicated that Savback’s main priority will be finding commercial operators for the eight-seat Aero3 tilt-wing model, which is expected to achieve type certification in 2026. It will also market the Aero2 autonomous air vehicle, which could enter production in 2023.
The Aero3 is expected to have a payload range of almost 640 miles at speeds of 217 mph. Last year, Dufour unveiled a revised design that increased the number of wing-mounted propellers from four to six, as well as adding two more propellers on a new tail section that formerly incorporated ducted fans. The company expects to start test-flying a prototype by the end of 2022 as it prepares for certification under EASA’s special-condition VTOL rules.
In November 2020, Dufour said that it had received interest from prospective operators of the Aero2, which it intends to certify under EASA’s special-condition rules for light unmanned aerial systems. It will offer a payload of just under 90 pounds and a flight duration of up to around three hours at speeds of almost 106 mph. The Aero2 first flew in 2020, initially to serve as a technology demonstrator for the much larger Aero3, but Dufour subsequently decided to bring the model to market.
“We strongly believe that Dufour Aerospace’s eight-seater Aero3 provides options for today’s helicopter market as well as new-use cases which its cutting-edge technology opens up for us,” said Reja Savback, CEO of Savback Helicopters.
The Swedish company has sold more than 900 helicopters over the past 30 years, and has marketed preowned models as well as new light helicopters such as the VRT500, GHT Helicopters’ G-250 Eagle, and the Zefhir Ultra Light. It is active in multiple markets, including VIP transportation, cargo operations, and parapublic missions (e.g. police, ambulance, and search and rescue flights).
