AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - September 2022 - 37

VOLOCOPTER
AV I AT ION HISTORY /
FUTURE FLIGHT /
Ambitious effort
Volocopter expands its fleet
BY THOMAS A. HORNE
A whole
lotta glass
Garmin celebrates a milestone
BY IAN J. TWOMBLY
GARMIN'S RECENT ANNOUNCEMENT that the
company has sold 25,000 integrated flight
displays is a testament to the incredible engineering,
product support, and innovation from
the Olathe, Kansas, avionics king.
Announced in 2003 for the Cessna Citation
Mustang, the first G1000 was installed in a
Diamond DA40 in 2004, and Cessna 182s and
172s rolled off the line with the new displays
soon after. Although the number of total units
is impressive, perhaps more interesting is the
breadth of aircraft where pilots can now expect
to fly one. There are versions for the helicopter
market, retrofit, light general aviation, and all
manner of business aviation aircraft up through
intercontinental jets. Few avionics cover such a
broad range of aircraft.
The General Aviation Manufacturers
Association has cataloged a total of 49,308 airplane
deliveries in the 18 years since the G1000
first arrived. Garmin has pumped out an average
of nearly 1,400 units a year, or roughly half
of all new airplanes.
Garmin said one of its integrated displays
is approved on 80 different types of aircraft
from 20 different manufacturers, a staggering
number. ian.twombly@aopa.org
V O L OCOP T E R, WH I CH IN 2011 was
among the first to introduce an electric
vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL)
design, recently announced its newest
venture-the four-seat VoloConnect. It
joins the company's existing designs, the
two-seat VoloCity and VoloDrone. The
VoloConnect is the Munich-based company's
most ambitious effort yet. Unlike
the VoloCity, which has a 19-nauticalmile
range and a 59-knot maximum
cruise speed, the company says the
VoloConnect can fly at ranges up to 54
nm at its cruise speed of 97 knots.
The VoloConnect's configuration
is a departure from the VoloCity's circular
array of 18 motor/rotors. The
new design has a fixed wing with six
rotors for vertical lift, plus two pylonmounted
propulsion fans for cruise
flight. From all appearances the aircraft
is also equipped with retractable
landing gear. Both designs employ lithium
battery/electric power systems.
The VoloCity is meant for shuttling
within city limits; the VoloConnect is
aimed at those wanting to travel from
cities to their suburbs.
Meanwhile, the VoloDrone is
designed as an autonomous baggagehauler
for VoloCity and VoloConnect
passengers. When passengers arrive
at one of Volocopter's strategically
placed VoloPorts, the VoloDrone will
be hot on their heels with the luggage.
The VoloPort concept has been demonstrated
in Singapore
The new VoloConnect logged its
first flight in June 2022, while the
VoloCity has reached 1,000 flights in its
development program. The VoloCity is
expected to enter service in 2024, with
the VoloConnect targeting a 2026 commercial
launch. tom.horne@aopa.org
AOPA PILOT / September 2022
37
AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - September 2022

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