Lilium, a Munich-based aviation company developing an all-electric, vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOL) for regional air mobility, has announced a partnership with Lufthansa Aviation Training (LAT), a member of the Lufthansa Group. Together, Lilium and Lufthansa Aviation Training will develop a tailor made pilot sourcing and training programme to qualify pilots to fly the Lilium Jet.

The first phase of this programme consists of bespoke Lilium type rating training certification for qualified commercial pilots. It will harness technologies including mixed and virtual reality (MR/VR), opening possibilities to recreate the programme worldwide and enabling a stable pipeline of qualified pilots to support the growth of the company and the industry.

Lilium is leveraging the strengths and experience of trusted partners to co-create and accelerate the development of its fully integrated model, supporting the rapid pace at which the company is scaling. As a leading airline training organisation in Europe renowned for following the highest safety standards, Lufthansa Aviation Training will provide expertise into the training and development of competencies necessary to fulfil the need for a new field of piloting. This complements Lilium's expertise in eVTOLs and the regional air mobility service it is building. The training programme will be the first of its kind globally and a significant milestone on Lilium's road to launch. Lilium and LAT will also jointly work together with EASA and FAA regulatory authorities on certification.

Lilium COO Remo Gerber says: “Opening a new professional segment for pilots of the future is a challenge we have long been excited to undertake, and Lufthansa Aviation Training is the perfect partner. Its insights, experience and dedication to forward-thinking training concepts ensure that our pilots will be selected and trained to the highest calibre, an industry standard which we will establish through this partnership.”

Tiziana Heilig, MD and CFO of LAT, adds: “We are thrilled to be working with Lilium to create a training setup that is unlike any seen before. As one of the leaders in this vibrant sector, we look forward to this cooperation to share each other's wealth of knowledge to provide an unparalleled aviation training experience.”