Lilium, the German aviation company developing an eVTOL and service for regional air mobility, and Aciturri, a manufacturer of aerostructures and aero engine components, have announced a long-term partnership to build the airframe of the Lilium Jet.

The partnership follows a competitive procurement process and is a significant step towards prototyping for serial production of the jet. The agreement also marks a new growth segment for Aciturri, whose experience in catering to tier one businesses, including the design and manufacturing of major airframe components for Airbus, Boeing and Embraer, established its reputation.

Aciturri will handle the production of the Lilium Jet's primary composite structures, which will use materials supplied by Toray Industries, with whom Lilium signed an agreement for the supply of high-performance carbon fibre composite material in May 2020. This partnership will combine the expertise of Lilium's engineers with Aciturri's proficiency in high-quality manufacturing. They will work together collaboratively on a bespoke design, accounting for the industrialisation of the manufacturing process, the design of the complex fuselage structure, as well as the highly integrated canards and wing structures which support the aircraft propulsion systems.

Yves Yemsi, chief programme officer at Lilium comments: “During my 16 years at Airbus, I became well acquainted with Aciturri's capabilities in producing complex composite structures for commercial aircraft to exacting quality standards. Few companies in the world have mastered designing and manufacturing aerospace composite structures like Aciturri. It is for this reason that the company is an ideal partner for Lilium, as we continue our strategy of working with the best tier one aerospace suppliers. This is imperative as we manage de-risking high volume production of our aircraft. We are excited to have Aciturri fully on board as we prepare for prototyping and serial manufacture ahead of our commercial launch.”

Alvaro Fernandez Baragaño, CEO at Aciturri adds: “We have long sought innovation in all that we do, and Lilium is no exception. We look forward to building this special relationship to support Lilium in achieving its vision of bringing this unique aircraft to life. This long-term partnership allows us to work collaboratively with Lilium through its early operational years, and beyond, throughout which we will continue to explore new methods and advanced technologies which our advanced techniques are capable of achieving, to ensure production of the highest quality and at growing scale.”