Electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft developers were out in force at this year’s Farnborough International Airshow, each with their own stories of recent successes and exciting revelations about the future.
E-VTOL frontrunners Joby Aviation, Lilium, Wisk Aero and Supernal presented stunning displays at the five-day event. In doing so, they breathed life into the future flight concept that – for the moment, at least – still remains a dream.
On Day Two of the air show, AeroTime caught up with Lilium’s CEO Klaus Roewe for a chat inside an exact replica of the Lilium Jet. Roewe spoke about how 29+ years at Airbus has shaped his approach to the aircraft’s development, plus the firm order with Saudia announced only days earlier.
An enthusiastic Roewe said: “The stand has been ultra crowded. It’s a combination of customers, people that want to invest, companies and politicians. It’s vibrant. Customers come with lots of ideas and fresh questions.”
There was unquestionably huge excitement surrounding the eVTOL developer displays at Farnborough this year, with crowds vying to climb on board to see inside the aircraft and invitations from other global air shows in abundance.
Farnborough was a blast! 💥
— Lilium (@Lilium) July 31, 2024
The #airshow brought together the best of #aerospace and #aviation. Have a little look at some of our favorite moments from last week right here.
Upwards and onwards! #Lilium #eVTOL $LILM #FIA2024 @FIAFarnborough pic.twitter.com/BEGL6IPKrV
The Lilium team arrived at Farnborough Air Show feeling buoyant, after securing a firm order from the Saudi Arabian flag carrier Saudia for up to 100 Lilium Jets.
While a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or Letter of Intent (LOI) is not uncommon within the eVTOL sector, a firm order from a legacy carrier remains the Holy Grail.
Tentatively, Roewe said: “I would dare to say maybe it’s the only one in the industry.”
According to the Lilium CEO, the first contact the company had with Saudia was in 2021. After a year of discussions, an MOU was agreed on in October 2022.
Then, on July 18, 2024, after almost two years of negotiations, Saudia and Lilium announced that a firm order had been placed.
Roewe explained: “I would say it was even kind of fast, because when you sign a deal on a known product with a new customer, like the A220 from my past, it takes two to three years. In this case, it’s a completely new product, with completely new technology and it’s a completely new business model. So, getting there with a legacy carrier like Saudia in two and half years was really speedy.”
According to Roewe, there was “no difference” between this contract with Saudia and the ones previously signed while he was based at Airbus.
Roewe said: “It lays out all commercial conditions. There are penalties if you don’t reach the performance, and there’s pre-delivery payments.”
Saudi Arabia currently has its focus firmly fixed on Vision 2030 and an overarching strategy of attracting more visitors, tourists, entrepreneurs and pilgrims each year.
The Saudia order is part of that vision, and Roewe is very aware that there is “no movement for failure” in ensuring the aircraft arrive on time.
However, Roewe brims with pride when talking about the Lilium Jet. He is a staunch believer in the aircraft and its superiority to other options available on the market.
Roewe said: “It’s the most advanced eVTOL in the industry, a different design from anyone else, because we are flying on jet engines while everyone else flies on rotors. We have 30 engines. They provide thrust, lift and control. This means we have no other movable parts on the aircraft, which makes it physically very simple.”
“It’s meant to fit into each and every heliport, which is why we have 14 meters of wingspan. The charger is a conventional automotive charger. We don’t need anything sophisticated. No ground cooling system, it’s all done by the aircraft itself.”
According to Roewe, the Lilium Jet will fly for less than two euros per km per passenger, making the aircraft a “very competitive price proposal compared with ground transport”.
The CEO said: “You can lose many of the engines and can still control the aircraft. You can lose two battery packs and still fly safely.”
Born in Nordhorn, Germany, Roewe spent “30 years, minus two months” with Airbus. His time there has left an indelible mark on his approach to work at Lilium since starting his current role in 2022.
‘I am not saying I am doing a copy and paste of Airbus but there was a lot of excellence’
During his tenure at Airbus, he had the experience of leading every step along the life cycle of an aircraft.
Roewe said: “I was there from the outset of the A320neo development. I led it from its first day to certification. I led it from its first production aircraft to a rate of 60 per month and I led it from the first aircraft into service.”
“So, I have seen end to end what it means to make a customer happy and that is the approach I am taking now. That’s why we are looking so much now into how we get the training, the network, materials supply and how we get digital services.”
However, Roewe is far from naive. He knows that ultimately Lilium is a world away from Airbus, requiring its own unique approach, with no blueprint to turn to.
The CEO said: “I am not saying I am doing a copy and paste of Airbus but there was a lot of excellence at Airbus. It can’t be wrong to transfer this into the product, but you also must adapt it, because the needs are different.”
‘We are running after the quality of the order book’
Roewe believes that, during the first three years, the Lilium Jet will operate within the high-end tourism sector, with this reflected in orders from companies active across the French Riviera, the Red Sea and Spain.
It was of significance that the Lilium mock-up eVTOL display at Farnborough was set out in its ‘club cabin’ configuration, with four seats for maximum comfort and space.
Beyond those first three years, Roewe anticipates that the six-seater model will become more prominent, as shuttling customers from airports and between cities becomes more in demand.
Roewe estimates that in the long term, 85% to 90% of sales will be for the six-seater and 10% to 15% for the four-seater option.
But with so much interest building around the main eVTOL developers, how does Lilium ensure that its focus remains on serious clients like Saudia and Lufthansa?
Roewe said: “We have a sales and marketing team, we know certain regions and types of customers that could be of interest. We have a lot of people approaching us and we can’t complain. We are a small company with a small sales team, we need to really manage our energy. When you really want to engage with a company like Saudia, it takes a lot of resources.”
For Roewe, it’s important that Lilium has agreements with a wide range of customers who come from a variety of locations, whether that’s the West Coast of the United States or China.
The CEO said: “We are running after the quality of the order book. I don’t need 2,000 worthless MOUs. I’d rather have 500 healthy firm orders with customers that have the capacity and intent to operate the aircraft. That is what we are after.”