Lilium Becomes First eVTOL Manufacturer with FAA, EASA Certification Bases

The FAA has issued a G-1 Certification Basis for the German air taxi firm’s seven-seater Lilium Jet.

Monday, June 26, 2023 at 03:44 PM ET

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A 3D rendering depicts Lilium’s seven-seater air taxi soaring over the Hudson River near the Statue of Liberty. [Courtesy: Lilium]

Key Takeaways:

German eVTOL manufacturer Lilium has received the FAA G-1 certification basis for its seven-seater Lilium Jet, placing it alongside U.S. rivals Joby and Archer in the certification process.
The Lilium Jet is now the only air taxi with certification bases from both the FAA and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), aiming for global operations by late 2025.
The aircraft features a fixed-wing design with 36 electric ducted fans, optimized for efficient inter-city travel over distances of 25 to 125 miles.

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For a few years now, American electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) manufacturers Joby and Archer Aviation have stood alone at the top of the FAA’s air taxi certification totem pole. Now, a German rival is joining them.

A few months after Archer’s Midnight and Joby’s JAS4-1 earned FAA G-1 certification bases, clearing a path to full certification for the firms’ flagship aircraft, Munich-based Lilium received one of its own Monday. With the watershed approval, the seven-seater Lilium Jet is now the only air taxi with certification bases from both the FAA and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).