In a first step towards introducing 100% electric flights on Danish domestic routes by 2023, Copenhagen AirTaxi (CAT, Copenhagen Roskilde) and Copenhagen Helicopter have inked a cooperation agreement with German aircraft manufacturer Vaeridion to accelerate the green transition of regional aviation in the Nordic region.
Under the deal, announced on September 6, 2023, the two Danish companies will contribute to the vision with their networks, extensive market knowledge, and operational experience, while Vaeridion will provide the flight technology. The Munich-based company is developing the Microliner, a nine-seater, 100% electric battery aircraft. It is expected to be certified and delivered before 2030, whereafter it will be deployed on routes of up to 500 kilometres. Its take-off distance will be 800 metres, which will allow the use of smaller airfields that are no longer utilised for commercial transport.
Copenhagen AirTaxi Accountable Manager Arly Larsen said the company would test the Microliner on its Laesø route and subsequently expand its domestic route network with the aircraft.
Copenhagen Helicopter co-founder and CEO Martin Winther Andersen added the company has been analysing leading projects in eVTOL (Electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing) and eSTOL (Electric Short Take-Off and Landing) for several years. He said the Microliner would enable the creation of a dense network of domestic routes as areas outside of airports and closer to urban centres could be used as take-off and landing points.
Andersen believed that the Microliner could play a crucial role in the future of Mobility as a Service-based (MaaS) personal transport. Specifically, this means that people will be able to plan, book, and pay for various mobility services in one digital solution.
According to Larsen, 1.6 million passengers are transported annually on domestic routes in Denmark, while the Danish government is gearing up for all domestic flights to be fossil-free by 2030.
