Aciturri Aerostructures, a highly reputed company, is the leading provider of aerostructures in the world. This agreement’s signing is a significant move for Vertical Aerospace as the firm is not only setting up the production of its eVTOL aircraft VX4 but also going through the process of getting its type certification. Following the partnership, Aciturri will still be the one who supplies the entire airframe of VX4 that is made up of the wings, empennage, pylons, and fuselage.

This alliance with Aciturri is the major cornerstone to Vertical’s “Flightpath 2030” scheme which aims to get last mileage phase parts purchase. This method is intended to facilitate the company’s progress towards certification and the commencement of production. Aciturri will also be the one behind the engineering of some structural components and supplying manufacturing engineering to make sure that the building of VX4 is done in an efficient, reliable, and scalable way.

Aciturri has been involved in commercial aircraft programs for nearly half a century. The company is known for designing and building major airframe components for manufacturers such as Airbus, Boeing, and Embraer. Their contribution to aircraft includes parts for the A320, B737, and Embraer KC-390. Aciturri also has experience in the development of airframes for other eVTOL projects such as those for Eve Air Mobility and Lilium. This experience is a big plus that will greatly contribute to Vertical’s effort to get closer to the certification and mass production of the VX4.

Stuart Simpson, the CEO of Vertical Aerospace, spoke about the significance of this partnership. He emphasized that the VX4 needs an airframe which design takes into consideration the peculiarities of eVTOL as well as the highest safety certification standards. Simpson illustrated Aciturri as a leading global supplier that gives “world-class capability, agility and deep technical expertise” needed to turn good concepts into good aircraft, as well as characterizing them. He is convinced that Aciturri’s record of success in the past makes them the best match for Vertical’s aim to deliver a safe and versatile vehicle.

Manuel Gonzalez Relaño, CEO of Aciturri Aerostructures, also expressed his happiness with the project. He said that both companies are very committed to going forward with the future of air mobility through green electric flight. Relaño sees his partnership with Vertical in the stages of development, certification, and production to make available on the market a viable eVTOL aircraft that can be exported worldwide. He mentioned that Vertical has been profiled as the eVTOL company in Europe.

Vertical Aerospace has its headquarters in Bristol, UK, which is the leading location of the UK’s aerospace industry. The company’s leadership team is made up of personnel with deep expertise and experience from Rolls-Royce, Airbus, GM, and Leonardo, among others. They have been dealing with over 30 different civil and military aircraft and propulsion systems that have been certified and supported. Vertical’s approach is merging collaborations with the top aerospace players such as GKN, Honeywell, and Leonardo, along with the development of their own battery and propeller technology to produce a safe and advanced eVTOL. The company has just widened its collaboration with Honeywell for them to provide the flight control and aircraft management system of the VX4.

The VX4 is a four-seater eVTOL aircraft with a pilot which has no carbon emissions in operation. Vertical is going to offer a hybrid-electric variant of the VX4 that will have a longer range and more options to fulfill the transformation in the advanced air mobility market. Vertical reportedly has around 1,500 pre-sales of the VX4 from customers located on four different continents such as American Airlines, Japan Airlines, GOL, and Bristow, all of whom have different needs. So, it is anticipated that some of these commitments on the customers’ part will be executed through the signing of agreements with third parties.

Aciturri, a family business established in 1977, is the leading supplier of aeronautical components in the global market. The company has two main business areas: the design, manufacture, and assembly of aerostructures such as wings and fuselages, and the production of engine parts. Aciturri however, their turnover is about 500 million euros, they are the main customers of Airbus, Boeing, Embraer, and Rolls Royce. The company employs over 3,100 people and has work centers in Spain, Portugal, Brazil, France, and Morocco.

The alliance of Vertical Aerospace and Aciturri Aerostructures is the most important feature of the aircraft sector using green energy. The two companies are combining the design expertise of Vertical with the manufacturing experience of Aciturri to get VX4 successfully into the market. This cooperation not only propels Vertical forward with its plan “Flightpath 2030” but also aligns with the general objective of making travel safer, cleaner, and quieter. The partnership is a positive indication that the electric flight will indeed be sustainable and be part of urban transport soon. Furthermore, it is a definite example of how the input of strategic partnerships facilitates new technologies to move beyond conceptualization and entry into large-scale production, which is critical for accessing funding required for the climate change mitigation.

Image by: ACITURRI