Through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, Bristow and Overair agreed to collaborate in the development of a business plan for the commercialization of the Butterfly, the electric vertical take-off and landing vehicle (eVTOL) created by Bristow.
Bristow, a global provider of innovative and sustainable solutions using VTOL aircraft, will support Overair in the deployment of operations focused on design, performance parameters, certification, flight planning best practices, configuration and maintenance protocols, and promotion of eVTOL operations, among others.
According to Ben Tigner, CEO of Overair, «Bristow’s decades of vertical lift experience will significantly enhance the Butterfly’s path to commercialization. Their operational knowledge, combined with our development and execution of the Butterfly program, will place this aircraft to serve Bristow as a valuable high-density route warhorse.»
Chris Bradshaw, Bristow’s president, and CEO, said, «Our partnership allows us to expand into new high-density markets with sustainable, innovative and efficient vertical lift and airlift services».
«As a global leader in vertical lift, Bristow’s operational expertise and efficiency, supported by the confidence of our customers, can safely bring eVTOL aircraft to market.»
In order to reduce the environmental impact of its operations in metropolitan areas, Bristow intends to gradually introduce eVTOLs into its operations. The MOU signed also involves the incorporation of between 20 and 50 Butterfly aircraft to add to its fleet.
According to a press release, «Bristow is looking forward to optimizing its fleet management strategy by matching eVTOL attributes with the most cost-effective mission profiles. Butterfly’s low-noise profile, payload capacity, and ability to fly in a wide range of weather conditions will be appropriate for high-density noise-sensitive routes in geographies with diverse environmental concerns. The Butterfly aircraft features low maintenance costs and mechanical simplicity, enabling high vehicle activity and utilization uptime, which increases operator margins and drives value to passengers.»
The eVTOL Butterfly developed by Overair operates with zero carbon emissions and a low noise level. It is capable of carrying up to five passengers, has a range of around 160 kilometers, and reaches a top speed of around 320 kilometers per hour.
