Airbus partners with Spirit AeroSystems to develop the wings of CityAirbus NextGen

Airbus (Toulouse, France) has signed an agreement with Spirit AeroSystems (Wichita, Kan., U.S.) through its subsidiary for the development of the electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft CityAirbus NextGen’s wings. This partnership will support Airbus’ exploration of disruptive aircraft design while complying with stringent regulations.

Spirit AeroSystems will be responsible for developing and manufacturing CityAirbus NextGen’s wings at its Belfast, Northern Ireland facility, which will very likely employ composite materials and processes for the project. Both partners’ ambition is to achieve a minimum weight solution while ensuring the highest levels of safety. Airbus says the structural concept of the eVTOL’s fixed wings will be able to transmit the related aerodynamic loads while being optimized for the right balance between hover and cruise efficiency. CityAirbus NextGen’s distributed propulsion system will also contribute to reducing the influence of air turbulence. 

“The partnership with Spirit AeroSystems is an important step for the development of CityAirbus NextGen and its wings are key structural components for flight efficiency,” says Jörg Müller, head of urban air mobility (UAM) at Airbus. “To build this vehicle, we are proud to work with Spirit as a strategic partner who benefits from a proven track record in this field, and extensive experience in component quality and airworthiness.”

With a significant U.K. footprint, particularly in Northern Ireland and Scotland, Spirit AeroSystems is reported to be one of the world’s largest suppliers of aerostructures, and builds on years of composites manufacturing expertise in major aircraft components and architecture solutions. Its longstanding relationship with Airbus includes the provision of fully integrated wings and wing elements for multiple Airbus commercial aircraft. Extending existing collaboration between Airbus and Spirit AeroSystems, this partnership is a further sign of the company’s commitment in the U.K.

The fully electric CityAirbus NextGen is an eVTOL prototype equipped with fixed wings, a V-shaped tail and eight electrically powered propellors as part of its distributed propulsion system. CityAirbus NextGen is being developed to fly with an 80-kilometer operational range and to reach a cruise speed of 120 kilometers per hour. Airbus is developing a UAM solution with eVTOLs not only to offer a new mobility service in urban areas and beyond, but also as an important step in its quest to reduce emissions in aviation across its product range.