Parent of Turkey's Freebird commits to 50+50 eVTOLs

Freebird Airlines (FH, Istanbul Airport) parent Gözen Holding has committed to purchase or lease up to fifty VX4 eVTOL aircraft from Avolon, with an option to purchase or lease up to 50 additional aircraft.

As a result of this announcement, Avolon has now placed its entire 500 VX4 eVTOL aircraft order book, which is over-subscribed by 50 options only nine months after launching its eVTOL programme, the Irish lessor announced in a statement.

As part of the agreement, Avolon, through its investment and innovation affiliate Avolon-e, has formed a strategic partnership with Gözen Holding to commercialise eVTOL travel and develop an urban air mobility (UAM) platform in Turkey.

Avolon and Gözen Holding will collaborate in a working group to identify and target local partners, research potential market opportunities, plus infrastructure and certification requirements for UAM in Turkey.

Avolon said it would leverage Gözen Holding’s expertise in airline operations, pilot training, airport handling and security, airline representation, and digital platforms. For its part, Gözen Holding would benefit from Avolon’s industry expertise and global platform of UAM working groups active in Brazil (with GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes), Greenland (with Air Greenland), Japan (with JAL - Japan Airlines), and Southeast Asia (with AirAsia), the companies said.

Avolon Chief Executive Officer Dómhnal Slattery said eVTOL air travel was certain to reshape the short-haul travel market. "The strong demand for our VX4 order book and for zero-emissions travel, confirms our view that demand for eVTOL aircraft would always outstrip supply. As a result, we will continue working with other partners that want to purchase or lease the VX4 in order to fully size the potential market and demand for this aircraft.”

He said the partnership with Gözen Holding would create a pioneer in UAM in Turkey. According to Avolon, there is significant market potential for UAM in Istanbul, and countries surrounding Turkey. "Istanbul offers one of the most unique opportunities worldwide for eVTOLs due to its distant airports, traffic congestion, and vast waterway networks. With over 50 million people using ferries or city boats in Istanbul every year, eVTOLs offer a faster, quieter, and more sustainable form of travel, helping reduce travellers’ environmental footprint. Istanbul’s ancient and modern city and surrounding attractions such as Cappadocia, Troy, Mount Ida, Antalya, Izmir, Çeşme, Bodrum, Marmaris, and Fethiye present compelling eVTOL use cases that the working group will explore," the lessor said.

In June 2021, Avolon ordered 500 VX4 eVTOL aircraft from Vertical Aerospace valued at USD2 billion. Since announcing that order, Avolon has placed: