NGCTR Technology Demonstrator Flies for the First Time After 10 Years in the Works

Leonardo has added another tiltrotor to its proven resume, checking off the first flight of its Next Generation Civil Tiltrotor - Technology Demonstrator (NGCTR-TD). The test took place on December 19, 2025, at Leonardo’s Cascina Costa di Samarate facility.

The NGCTR program has been in motion since 2015 and is being developed alongside the European Union’s Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking. The goal is straightforward on paper and, of course, notoriously difficult in practice: it aims to combine helicopter-style vertical takeoff and landing with the cruise speed and range of a fixed-wing aircraft, without the performance compromises that traditionally follow.

Leonardo says the demonstrator is designed around a cruise speed of about 280 knots and a range approaching 1,000 nautical miles. Those numbers put it well beyond traditional helicopters while still offering vertical lift, opening the door to applications ranging from civilian transport to military missions that need a solid balance of flexibility and speed.

Environmental efficiency is a major focus of the program, with it being backed under Clean Sky 2 and the broader Horizon 2020 framework. The effort also doubles as an industrial exercise, pulling together 85 partners from 15 countries to strengthen Europe’s aerospace supply chain.

Leonardo is hardly new to tiltrotors. Its AW609 program dates back to the late 1990s, with the first prototype flying in 2003. That aircraft, aimed primarily at the civil market, has provided plenty of hard-earned lessons along the way… including just how long certification can take. As of December 2025, the AW609 is still working its way through that process.

Those lessons play a clear role in the NGCTR. The new aircraft uses the same fuselage as the AW609, but introduces five key new technologies hoping to improve efficiency and reduce environmental impact. One of the more noticeable changes is the move to fixed engines. Unlike the AW609, where the engines tilt with the rotors, the NGCTR uses a split-gearbox system that allows the propellers to tilt independently while the engines stay put.

“Vertical lift continues to provide invaluable advantages to operators and communities for multiple tasks globally, therefore we’re committed to developing and providing solutions that allow to uniquely combine the best of both worlds – rotary and fix wing architectures – allowing to access all-new capabilities,” explained Leonardo Managing Director Piero Cutillo.

FMI: www.leonardo.com