Airbus and Avincis, a prominent European helicopter operator, have recently announced a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to forge a partnership focused on the development of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM). This collaboration will primarily explore the integration of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft across Europe, aiming to revolutionize the future of aerial emergency services.
The MoU signifies a strategic partnership where Airbus and Avincis will work together to define operational concepts for eVTOLs in Europe and potentially other regions. This initiative marks a significant step in building an AAM ecosystem and deepens Airbus’ longstanding relationship with Avincis.
John Boag, CEO of Avincis, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration: “Our partnership with Airbus is an important milestone for Avincis, as we look to the future of emergency air services and the platforms that will support our missions for generations to come. eVTOLs will play an important role in our long-term fleet strategy as these technologies continue to evolve to give us further reach and capability in the field. Airbus is at the cutting-edge of this evolution, and we are excited to be working with their team in understanding how we can harness the latest technology to bring more sustainable solutions to emergency services globally.”
From Airbus, Balkiz Sarihan, Head of Urban Air Mobility, highlighted the mutual benefits of the partnership: “We’re pleased to partner with Avincis. Their established operational network, which is essential to enabling key missions such as emergency medical services, search and rescue, and fire-fighting, will be a valuable tool to collectively explore the mission potential of CityAirbus NextGen. Through this collaboration we will explore how eVTOLs can contribute to missions that save lives and protect communities, a shared goal among our two companies.”
Avincis currently operates a global fleet of approximately 60 Airbus aircraft, which are integral to maintaining high safety and reliability standards across its operations in Europe, Africa, and South America. This new eVTOL collaboration builds on a successful history between the two companies.
In terms of technological advancement, Airbus presented the fully electric CityAirbus NextGen prototype in March 2024, following its assembly and initial power-on in December 2023. The prototype is now under testing at Airbus’ AAM test centre in Donauwörth, Germany, with an inaugural flight scheduled for later this year.
Avincis is renowned as a leader in Aerial Emergency Services, with a significant presence and operations spanning continents including Europe and South America. The company boasts a fleet of more than 220 aircraft and employs over 2,400 professionals, including experienced pilots, crews, and technicians. Their operations extend across a network of bases in countries such as Spain, Portugal, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Mozambique, and Chile.
This partnership not only underscores the commitment of both Airbus and Avincis to advancing aerial emergency technologies but also sets a forward-looking agenda for the sustainable evolution of global air mobility solutions.