UK’s Bristow Group eyes 50 eSTOL aircraft

Helicopter specialist Bristow Group has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with start-up Electra.aero to jointly develop and potentially induct up to 50 new electric short-take-off-and-landing (eSTOL) aircraft.

“This MOU sets the stage for early collaboration and development between Bristow and Electra for a new class of aircraft that will allow us to take advantage of the unique capabilities of electric and hybrid power generation technologies to substantially lower carbon emissions and operating costs. This will allow us to expand our expertise providing sustainable, innovative and efficient vertical lift and aerial transport solutions into new potential end markets like moving time-sensitive cargo and passengers regionally,” said Bristow President and Chief Executive Officer Chris Bradshaw.

The partnership includes joint development and certification of the new eSTOL aircraft, as well as the future marketing and operations of the type. The new type would be used for “middle mile” logistics for retail distribution, Bristow clarified.

The parties did not provide any estimates concerning the new type’s potential entry into service. Electra.aero’s aircraft will be designed to take-off from a 300-feet runway and carry between 5 and 7 passengers or 815 kilogrammes of cargo with a range of up to 925 kilometres.

Bristow Group is Electra.aero’s first customer. The start-up has positioned itself in afield that already has a large number of manufacturers working on electric vertical-take-off-and-landing (eVTOL) aircraft and firms planning to introduce to the market, more conventional regional aircraft with fully electric propulsion.

Bristow Group does not currently operate any active fixed-wing aircraft under its core brand, which comprises Bristow Helicopters, Bristow Helicopters Nigeria, and Bristow US (although the Nigerian unit has a single E135 in maintenance). The group also operates helicopters through Cougar Helicopters (Canada), Líder Aviação, and Turkmenistan Helicopters. However, the holding also owns Australia’s Airnorth (Australia) with a fixed-wing fleet of five E120s and four E170s, and owns a 25% stake in Egypt’s Petroleum Air Services, which operates three CRJ900s and five DHC-8-Q300s alongside its helicopters.