Italy’s economic capital hosted a prestigious aviation summit.
By Luca Paolo Salvatori
Milan was the stage for the Red Cabin Vertical Take Off Interior Summit, which showcased the latest and upcoming innovations in cabin design for helicopters and eVTOL (Electric Vertical Take-off and Landing Vehicles).
Airbus Helicopters, Archer, Bell Helicopters, Cicare, Joby Aviation, Modyn, Leonardo Helicopters, Lyte Aviation, Omnavia Interiors, Piaggio Aerospace, Tapis, PriestmanGoode, Robinson and Vertical Aerospace unveiled their solutions and visions for the present and future of passenger transport using vertical take-off and landing aircraft. Airbus Helicopters highlighted the extreme versatility of its aircraft across a wide range of civil and military applications, with a particular focus on noise levels and overall environmental impact, as well as the possibility of highly customised configurations. Bell and Leonardo presented solutions for government and public utility transport and for the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS). Archer, Joby Aviation and Vertical Aerospace, direct competitors in the eVTOL sector, contributed to the development of highly creative discussions in the workshop section. Piaggio Aerospace presented its cabin concept for eVTOLs intended for business aviation. Lyte Aviation sparked discussion with its design for a 40-seat aircraft powered by a hybrid system combining internal combustion engines and hydrogen fuel cells, capable of covering distances of up to 1,000 km, with the potential to serve as a mobile hospital.
The session dedicated to small-space design featured contributions from the helicopter industry, which is focused on integrating technology and design, and saw Mecaer, Mody and PriestmanGoode discuss the customisation and certification of cabins for numerous types of helicopters. During the social and networking breaks, there was no shortage of in-depth discussions relating to the superyacht, hotel and luxury resort sectors. The summit, hosted at the Leonardo Hotel Milano City Center, provided an overview of the state of the art in helicopter cabin design and future electric air taxis. The electric air taxis are awaiting their first certifications to operate commercially in the US and UAE markets, creating an important opportunity for discussion among decision-makers from manufacturing industries, design studios, charter operators and helicopter fleet managers.
