Aviation Capital Group, a leading aircraft asset manager, announced today that it has entered into an agreement in principle with Volocopter, a pioneer of urban air mobility (UAM), to develop financing solutions that will assist with the sale of Volocopter’s family of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for up to $1 billion. Deliveries are expected to commence once the aircraft has been certified for commercial use by the respective civil aviation authorities. These include the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). For Volocopter customers, this agreement will offer an option and an opportunity to lease the aircraft through financing schemes, as is customary within the aviation industry. The experience and trusted services of ACG as a global aviation aircraft asset management company will provide flexibility and security in customer transactions during the lease.
“This transaction highlights ACG’s ongoing commitment to reducing the environmental impact of the aviation industry and to working towards a cleaner and more sustainable future,” said Tom Baker, CEO and president of ACG. “The transaction builds on the existing partnership between Volocopter and ACG’s parent company, Tokyo Century, an early equity investor in Volocopter.”
“This agreement will allow our business to hit the ground running after aircraft certification,” said Florian Reuter, Chief Executive Officer, of Volocopter. “It signifies ACG’s and our investor Tokyo Century’s trust in Volocopter’s leadership in the UAM market. We are grateful for this partnership as this financing represents another cornerstone of the essential ecosystem for scaling UAM.”
The UAM total addressable market is expected to be worth €241 billion by 2035. The market in which Volocopter operates is uniquely targeted at flying above and around the world’s densely populated megacities. The Volocopter family of eVTOL aircraft fly completely emission-free and provide transportation as a service both for passengers (VoloCity and VoloConnect) and for goods (VoloDrone). Moreover, all aircraft are designed with low complexity to meet the needs of this market and customer, as well as the highest level of standards in aviation safety and low-noise emissions that make them ideal for inner-city journeys.
The transaction remains subject to further negotiation and execution of a definitive agreement and customary closing conditions.
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