Halo Urban Air Mobility orders 200 eVTOL aircraft from Embraer
Halo, the first global provider for private urban air mobility, has placed a firm order of 200 Eve Urban Air Mobility vehicles, making it the launch customer for this aircraft.
The electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft have an expected delivery date in 2026. One hundred of the vehicles will be used for operations in the United States and 100 will operate in the United Kingdom.
Halo becomes Eve’s launch partner in building the world’s first comprehensive urban air mobility system. The order establishes Eve, an independent company formed by Embraer S.A., as the leader in a global eVTOL market that is growing rapidly in response to enthusiasm around sustainability and vertical mobility.
In addition, Halo announced the alignment of U.K.-based Halo Aviation Ltd. (Halo) and U.S.-based Associated Aircraft Group (AAG) under the Halo brand. Both companies had been acquired earlier this year by OneSky Flight, a member of the Directional Aviation family. The alignment ensures consistent service for Halo’s clients traveling in two of the world’s leading global centres of business. In addition, Halo will provide streamlined experiences for world-traveling clients of sister companies in the Directional Aviation family of brands: Flexjet, Sentient Jet, PrivateFly and FXAIR.
“Bringing together two companies, which are leading providers of vertical lift and urban mobility services in two of the most important markets, will create a phenomenal vertical mobility platform,” said Kenneth C. Ricci, Principal, Directional Aviation. “And in placing this order for a revolutionary breakthrough in urban air mobility, we are advancing toward safe, efficient and sustainable travel in and between our cities. eVTOL urban air mobility is the greatest opportunity, and the greatest challenge, I have seen in my 40 years in aviation, and Eve is positioned to make it a reality.”
Andrew Collins, who will be leading the vertical lift transition for One Sky, said: “Where private aviation was previously thought of in terms of moving people from airport to airport, today’s travel is becoming a doorstep-to-doorstep concept. With the Halo and AAG leadership team’s core competency, we are particularly well-positioned to create that new reality better than any other provider. We are on the cusp of global aviation innovations that you can’t even imagine.”
Nearly a dozen eVTOL aircraft designs were evaluated before Halo selected Eve as its launch product to deliver its vertical lift vision. In selecting this aircraft and manufacturer, Ricci said he assessed several elements that pointed to its future success.
“We believe Eve has designed an aircraft that not only is well-prepared for initial certification but also has a proven track record of production,” Ricci said. “The outstanding lineage of aircraft design, certification and production that Embraer brings to this aircraft positions Eve with significant advantages in the competitive landscape. And our background as operators has taught us that product support is absolutely vital to the overall success of new programs. The relationship between Embraer and Eve will create one of the most successful global product support infrastructures in the industry. Finally, the work that Eve and Embraer have completed around their traffic management system is just one more example of how uniquely positioned Eve is to help us deliver on our vision.”
Eve instantly becomes a global leader in eVTOL
Incubated by Embraer, Eve combines a start-up mentality with Embraer’s 50 years of aerospace expertise to address the singular challenges of eVTOL travel. Eve is taking a holistic approach to creating an urban air mobility ecosystem that combines not only new aircraft technology but also a comprehensive global services and support network and a unique air traffic management solution. With a unique and valuable market proposition, Eve will advance vertical lift to the next level.
The 200 aircraft that Halo has ordered will begin delivery in 2026. Until then, Halo will continue to operate its Leonardo and Sikorsky helicopters as the eVTOL aircraft are phased into service, providing a natural bridge to the next generation of vertical lift.
“This partnership is an important step for Eve to assume its position as a global leader in the UAM industry. We are ready to build the future of mobility with our partners in an extremely collaborative way. Halo is aligned with our mission to create comprehensive urban air mobility solutions, and this order marks an important milestone for Eve in key markets. We are confident that this mutually beneficial relationship will have a positive impact for many future users and enable both companies to grow their businesses exponentially,” said Andre Stein, President and CEO of Eve Urban Air Mobility.
Halo becomes the leading premium helicopter travel provider in the U.K. and U.S. – and the first global vertical lift provider
In May, 2021, OneSky Flight acquired Halo Aviation, a leading helicopter travel operator in the U.K., and in February, 2021, it acquired Associated Aircraft Group (AAG), the premier operator of executive Sikorsky helicopter service in the North-eastern U.S. Combining the two companies under the Halo brand creates a vertical mobility powerhouse, providing a foundation in the U.S. and U.K. for the establishment of eVTOL service.
Halo will operate the fleets of the former Halo Aviation and AAG, giving it full control of their assets and ensuring that its vertical lift operations can be aligned with those of other OneSky companies including luxury fractional jet provider Flexjet; jet card pioneer Sentient Jet; and on-demand jet charter providers FXAIR and PrivateFly. The synergies will include a door-to-door air travel solution for users of private aviation so that, no matter how people prefer to fly, these companies will have solutions for them.
Partnership between Eve and Halo will advance private urban air mobility
In addition to offering a simple and intuitive eVTOL design that continues to reach development milestones, including the first flight of the engineering simulator in July 2020 and proof of concept in October 2020, Eve is working with Embraer and Atech, a subsidiary of the Embraer Group, to develop an Urban Air Traffic Management (UATM) system that will set the standard for safety, efficiency and performance.
Eve has been advancing vertical lift in the U.K. through its leadership of a consortium that is clearing the regulatory and operational issues to bringing eVTOL operations to London. Eve and Halo will work together with the U.K. Civil Aviation Authority and U.S. regulators to advance the first international eVTOL operator partnership of its kind, a key to creating a true urban air mobility ecosystem.
