Lilium partners with Lufthansa training arm to meet crew needs

Lilium has selected Lufthansa’s training arm to develop a programme that will deliver a pipeline of qualified pilots for its developmental electric air taxi, as the Bavarian start-up solves another part of its pre-launch puzzle. Under the contract, Lufthansa Aviation Training will initially develop a bespoke type rating course for qualified commercial pilots, allowing them to fly the Lilium Jet. Lilium plans to launch operations in 2025 and needs to ensure that there are sufficient crews available to support that process and the rapid ramp-up of services that it hopes will follow, says Remo Gerber, COO. Gerber says the partners will take advantage of new technologies, such as mixed- and virtual reality simulation, to “push the boundaries” and “optimise” the training syllabus. With its tilting banks of electric-powered fans, and vertical take-off and landing capability, the Lilium Jet has a unique design compared with existing fixed- or rotary-wing aircraft and therefore requires a tailored training regime, he adds.<br/>