German air taxi developer Lilium has powered up its Lilium Jet for the first time, marking what it calls a “significant milestone towards first flight”.
The Munich-based urban air mobility company said on 1 October that the power-on procedure confirms that all systems are working as designed, and “demonstrates that we’re on track” towards certification.
“Power-on is an important quality gate in the production process of any commercial aircraft,” says Lilium chief technology officer Stephen Vellacott. “The two Lilium Jets now on our final assembly line, and those to come, will be conforming aircraft, built to the specifications of our design organisation, according to documented processes and in line with established aerospace procedures.”
Lilium says the first example, MSN1, will serve as a ”lab test aircraft”, to prove the safety of flight and airworthiness requirements. MSN2, which is in final assembly, will be the aircraft used for the first piloted flight, intended for early 2025. Production of the fusealge for MSN3 is currently under way as well.
Lilium says its flight-test campaign will require six aircraft in total; service entry is still targeted for 2026.
At the end of last month, Lilium debuted a mock-up of the jet in the USA, in Houston; it wil also feature at the NBAA business aviation show in Las Vegas later in October.
