Tue, Jan 29, 2013
e-volo Developing Personal Electric VTOL Aircraft
A two-seat personal VTOL aircraft under development by the German company e-volo could result in the creation of a new category in aviation in that country, the company said recently on its web site.
The company is developing an aircraft powered by multiple rotors driven by electric motors dubbed the VC200. It successfully demonstrated a prototype, the VC1, last year. e-volo manager Alexander Zosel said that a new category would need to be created in order for the aircraft to be allowed to fly in German airspace.
The company's goal is to have a provisional airworthiness certificate approved for the Volocopter by the middle of this year to be able to begin with test flights for the trial program as soon as possible. The test flights will take place on the glider airfield in Bruchsal, where the factory of the DG Flugzeugbau (DG Aircraft Construction) is located. DG Aircraft Construction handles the production of the carbon fiber bodywork of the VC200.
The company is working with the German Ultralight Aircraft Association (DULV), the German Sports Aircraft Association (DAeC) and the German Federal Aviation Office (LBA) on the creation of a new manufacturing specification for the Volocopter, including legal regulations (where and when the Volocopter has permission to fly), and the training specifications for future pilots of the Volocopter.
The aircraft would be designated as an ultralight, meaning under German rules a private pilot certificate would be required to fly the Volocopter. The company says that people with the proper certificate "will be able to fly e-volo’s Volocopter in the near future." The German federal ministry of economics and technology recently granted €2 million ($2.69 million) as a subsidy for the project's development.
(Image provided by e-volo)
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