Solihull, UK. 18 May 2020. GKN Aerospace brings advanced lightweight wing, empennage and wiring systems expertise to the world’s first all-electric commuter aircraft designed from scratch
The collaboration agreement covers the design and manufacture of wings, empennage and electrical wiring interconnection systems (EWIS) for Alice, the ground-breaking regional electric aircraft recently launched by Eviation. The aircraft is aiming to change the way people travel, by making journeys of distances up to 650 miles more sustainable.
John Pritchard, President, Civil Airframes GKN Aerospace said, “We are excited to collaborate with Eviation and to support the development of this all-new electric aircraft. The development of all-electric aircraft is ground-breaking; it’s a step change in aviation and we are delighted to contribute. As technology leaders in wing, empennage and EWIS design, we can bring unrivalled knowledge and expertise to the project.”
GKN Aerospace is using its capability in the design and manufacture of advanced lightweight aerostructures and EWIS – as proven on the Airbus A220, A320, A330, A400M, A350 XWB, Boeing 767 and 787, Dassault F6X, F7X, F8X Gulfstream G550, G650, G700 and the Lockheed Martin F-35 – to mature the design of the empennage, wing and EWIS of Alice.
Matteo Borghini Lilli, Director, Wing Product Group at GKN Aerospace said, “In the quest for more sustainable and environmentally friendly aviation, we are excited to be part of the Eviation programme, which is at the forefront in taking electric flight from a future aspiration into today’s reality. GKN Aerospace is proud to bring its wealth of experience in design and certification, in conjunction with key technological innovations, to achieve this aspiration.”
“GKN Aerospace brings tremendous expertise to the program, allowing us to think again about what could be achieved with advanced aerostructures,” says Omer Bar Yohay, Eviation’s CEO and Co-Founder. “I trust that we’ll see GKN Aerospace take on a growing part of our development and manufacturing effort as the program matures and the Alice nears production.”
