London Oxford Airport and Emerald Media held a Disruptor Day on 19th October 2023. Here are some of the highlights:-
Volare Aviation starts marketing the Lilium Jet
Over the last 12 months, London Oxford Airport tenant Volare Aviation, UK launch customer of the Lilium Jet, has taken its full-scale eVTOL mock up to various events like Goodwood Festival of Speed, F1 Silverstone and Cornbury Horse Trials, to raise awareness of the jet among its client base. “People don’t realise this product is out so it’s had the right effect,” commented Nick Isbister, Volare Director of Sales.
“We have already sold some with delivery slots for 2026. The aircraft is fully customisable inside for four to six people, with a payload of about 490 kilos. Range will improve when battery and battery technology evolves,” he noted.
“We’re aiming to place this aircraft with our (Cotswolds) client base. We have customers who won’t fly helicopters, but appreciate the convenience of them. This jet doesn’t look like a big drone or helicopter, rather it flies like a jet. Initial range is 150 nm flying at 150 knots and an hour’s flying.”
Gallagher – educate insurance brokers too
Gallagher Director – General Aviation Matthew Day re-affirmed that next-gen aviation, electric aircraft and eVTOLs in particular, offer an exciting opportunity across the industry. However, transparency and knowledge is needed, because this is not a tried and tested sector.
Recognising there are different risk exposures for the stakeholders involved, he acknowledged that as insurance brokers Gallaghers’ role is to “help the disruptors bring these new technologies to market to engage with insurers and find the right insurance solutions.”
As with any emerging technology, next-gen aircraft lack certainty, they lack a track record or a safety record which is what insurers want, so the need for collaboration is great. “We need to be educated and have these new technologies explained and to understand how they will be used. We need the industry to communicate with us and to be transparent. If we’re being asked to take a risk, we need to feel confident that you are telling us all the potential risks and hazards before we commit to insuring it,” said Matthew Day.
As an industry, insurers will always presume the worst, so making sure insurers are engaged early on is critical. “If we’re involved from an early stage, we can support the business and be part of the infrastructure.”
Underlining that insurance goes hand in hand with aviation, he concluded: “Aviation is by its sheer nature a disruptive industry… From an insurance perspective, we dislike uncertainty, but we understand risks and if you keep us involved we’ll be there absolutely to support industry as it evolves.”
London Oxford Airport’s Disruptor Day was a collaborative effort between James Dillon-Godfray and the Emerald Media team, which has been providing comms support to the airport since 2008. Thanks to Gallagher for their part sponsorship.
For further information contact:
James Dillon-Godfray
Head of Business Development
London Oxford Airport
Tel: +44 (0) 1865 290 710 E: jdg@londonoxfordairport.com
@LOXOXFEGTK
@OxfordAirportUK
Emerald Media
Tel: +44 (0) 1420 560094
Mobile +44 (0) 7881 628057
