South African based aviation group, Pegasus Universal Aerospace, is on its way to developing the first vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) business jet.
The Pegasus One aims to combine business jet performance with helicopter-like vertical landing and takeoff.
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According to Business Tech, Pegasus signed a memorandum of understanding with UK-based technical aviation consultancy, Callen-Lenz Group covering the design and development of the Pegasus One’s flight control systems.
Under the terms of the MOU, the Callen-Lenz team will work closely with the Pegasus executive team, engineers and newly-appointed chief pilot, Captain Andrew Dietrich.
“We want to build an aircraft that pilots know is responsive, safe, reliable, efficient and above all fun and straight-forward to fly,” Dr Reza Mia, Pegasus founder and chairman, told Business Tech.
With the aim to “change how the world’s elite travel and businesses operate,” the jet’s design is meant to enable it to land on any surface, including in built-up areas, helipads and yachts.
The group, which was founded in 2012, has already reached major milestones including developing multiple scale models, completing comprehensive studies into the drivetrain and thrust fan systems to support a truer hybrid-electric propulsion power source.
Pegasus stated that it aims to become “the platinum standard for aircraft design and manufacture globally”.
A full-scale VTOL demonstrator is already under construction to be showcased in Europe in 2020.
Image source: Business Tech
