VoltAero has opened a 2,400 square meter assembly facility to facilitate the production and delivery of the Cassio aircraft series. The factory is located in Saint-Aignant in the Charente-Maritime department in eastern France, and has an annual production capacity of 150 aircraft. According to the company, the latter finds applications in regional business operations, shipping, mail delivery and medical evacuation (Medevac).
VoltAero says the facility also facilitates sustainable regional air transport as it links to Rochefort Airport, which has a 2,280-metre-long and 45-metre-wide runway and rail and sea transfer ports.
“We address the fundamental market requirements to connect thousands of communities and regions around the world with truly advanced, sustainable and efficient regional air traffic – while maintaining full compatibility with airport and air traffic control infrastructure,” says Jean Petit, the company’s CEO and CTO.
The Cassio family of aircraft will feature Safran ENGINeUS electric motors to generate all-electric power during taxi, takeoff, base flight and landing. Furthermore, Kawaskai Motors will supply the aircraft with internal combustion engines. Hybrid propulsion enables the aircraft to act as a range extender, recharging the batteries in flight.
The completion of the facility has put VoltAero in a position to produce a series of Casio aircraft, and the company plans to launch the first version of the aircraft called the “Casio 330”. The five-seat Cassio 330 will use a patented “hybrid-electric propulsion system” with a rated power of 330 kilowatts. Next, the company will develop a six-seat Casio 480 with a power of 480 kilowatts. After that, the company plans to manufacture the twelve-seat Casio 600, which will have a hybrid electric power of 600 kilowatts. The company says the hybrid-electric propulsion system acts as a backup system in the event of a problem with the electric propulsion, ensuring adequate and fail-safe performance.
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