Volocopter is close to attaining EASA’s Part 21G Production Organization Approval (POA) through the acquisition of German light aircraft manufacturer DG Flugzeugbau. On the basis of a July 6 announcement, the company says that when the transaction closes later this summer it will the first and only eVTOL aircraft developer to hold both a POA and design organization approval (DOA), having attained the European aviation safety agency’s Part 21J clearance in 2019.
DG Flugzeugbau, which has been making composite gliders since 1973, has supported Volocopter since its formation in 2011 by helping to construct prototypes for its VC200, 2X, VoloDrone, and VoloCity aircraft. Both companies are based in the southern German town of Bruchsal.
Through the acquisition, for which the purchase price has not been disclosed, Volocopter will integrate its own production and workshop teams with DG Flugzeugbau’s production and EASA Part 21G POA units. The company will now trade under the name DG Aviation and will continue to produce gliders as well as providing EASA-approved maintenance services.
The joint DG and Volocopter team is building the first full prototype for the two-seat VoloCity eVTOL. The company aims to have this certified and ready to start commercial operations during the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris.
According to Volocopter, the manufacturing of prototypes and blueprint versions of its eVTOL aircraft, including the new, larger, and longer-range VoloConnect model, will be done by DG Aviation for the foreseeable future. When large-scale production is achieved, Volocopter will look to move some production closer to the markets it is serving, including Europe, Asia, and North America.
“Having this legendary industry leader on our side to kick-start scalable and affordable urban air mobility for people and cargo has been a game-changer,” said Volocopter CEO Florian Reuter. “Today marks an exciting milestone as we unify DG Flugzeugbau’s leadership in aviation production with Volocopter’s pioneering UAM goals to establish yet another crucial stepping-stone for our collective global endeavors.”
DG Flugzeugbau has produced numerous glider models over the past five decades, including the World Championship-winning Red Bull Air Race planes. “We have always continued to strive for perfection through unique innovation with gliders, vast aerodynamic improvements, and, for the past 10 years, with Volocopter’s eVTOLs,” commented CEO Holger Back. “We see the future in these aircraft and are excited to combine a section of our company with Volocopter to invest in the future of sustainable aviation while continuing our tradition of building gliders and maintaining aircraft.”
Other suppliers so far named by Volocopter include Diehl Aerospace, which is providing the flight control computer, and Autoflug for seats.
