Johann Bordais is attempting to convert some of the start-up's tentative orders into definite ones, six months after assuming the role of chief executive of Eve Air Mobility.
Melbourne, Florida-based In the emerging electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) market, Eve has the largest backlog with over 2,800 letters of intent (LoIs) for their experimental aircraft.
At the Singapore air show on February 21, Bordais told FlightGlobal that while these agreements are not legally enforceable, he is eager for the situation to improve.
He clarifies, "We're not pushing for down payments; that's not part of our business plan, even though we are pushing for firm orders." It's more important to prepare. We must begin building the infrastructure, and you must do it in accordance with a purchase order.
The Embraer-backed Eve company has been trying to convert some of its Letters of Intent by giving its clients a spot among the first 300 production slots at its manufacturing plant in the Brazilian countryside, outside of Sao Jose dos Campos. The location is near to the large E-Jet final assembly factory owned by Embraer.
The business intends to build 120 airplanes a year initially, and subsequently treble that number. It eventually intends to produce up to 500 airplanes annually—that is, "if everything is going very well," according to Bordais.
"WE KNOW WHAT SUCCESSES."
In September 2023, Bordais assumed the role of CEO at Eve, succeeding Jerry DeMuro and Andre Stein, who had overseen the company's public debut on the US stock market, after more than twenty years of employment with Embraer. He now has to compete with a large field of rivals to introduce the start-up's piloted, four-passenger eVTOL to the market.
Eve intends to fly its first "proof of concept" prototype this year, and it is presently constructing it. After that, it will construct five aircraft that meet the requirements to be flown for certification.
The prototype, a remotely controlled aircraft, will function as a testbed for Eve, enabling her to assess the flying and noise characteristics of a full-scale aircraft configured similarly to the final production eVTOL.
Eve intends to seek type certification with Brazil's civil aviation regulator ANAC, resulting in a bilateral agreement with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), following the example of Embraer's aircraft development programs. By using that tactic, Eve hopes to get around the throng of eVTOL businesses that are vying for FAA direct certificate for their aircraft.
According to Bordais, Eve depends on Embraer's knowledge and experience in advancing novel aircraft designs through certification. He cites Eve's air taxi design as an example, citing the Embraer Legacy 500 business jet's fly-by-wire technology.
approximately the last 15 years, we have designed and certified approximately 25 aircraft, according to Bordais. "I believe that our biggest advantage is that we know what works and what doesn't work."
THE CLOCK IS TICKING
Bordais acknowledges that Eve's goal of creating a brand-new, innovative aircraft in around six years is "aggressive."
According to Bordais, Eve employs around 200 people directly and has several hundred more on staff thanks to a service contract with Embraer. There are only so many people who are competent to assist in the development of a new and innovative aircraft, so that assistance is essential.
In the end, this fact could contribute to the industry consolidation of air taxis in the next months. The primary driving force behind any prospective purchases would be the addition of talent, not aircraft designs.
Bordais remarks, "I don't see how you can really just take over and make two products or complete the portfolio." "It consumes money, but you can see a lot of the ecology and the aircraft you are providing. The timer is running out.
While Bordais thinks Eve's aircraft will be certified by the company's claimed 2026 goal date, he also notes that Eve's control over that date ultimately ends with the start-up.
"We're introducing a brand-new car to the market, and it will require more than just our partners' and our own expertise," he claims. "We consider certification knowledge and experience when choosing our suppliers, and it gives me a lot of confidence for 2026. We can succeed if Eve and our partners are the only ones who matter."
"The certification and ecosystem's readiness are more of a question mark," he continues. "We know that anything can happen because we've done it so many times."
No comments:
Post a Comment