Vertical Aerospace Bolsters Supplier Network With Northrop Grumman LITEF and ANH Structure
Vertical Aerospace has signed long-term supplier agreements with ANH Structure and Northrop Grumman LITEF to provide seating and inertial navigation equipment for its Valo electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, as the UK developer continues work towards certification and production.
Under the agreements, South Korea-based ANH Structure will design, develop, certify and manufacture bespoke seating for Valo’s pilots, observers and passengers. German company Northrop Grumman LITEF will supply its LCR-110 inertial reference system, which provides position, attitude and heading information to flight-critical aircraft systems.
ANH’s seating will use a common platform across Valo’s cabin configurations and incorporate the company’s proprietary 30G energy-absorption technology. The design is intended to meet the aircraft’s safety, weight and cabin requirements. ANH holds European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Design Organisation Approval and Production Organisation Approval, enabling it to support the programme through design, certification and serial production.
Hyonsu Ahn, CEO of ANH Structure, said that ANH is “proud to work alongside Vertical on developing a seating system for Valo’s cabin configurations which aligns with their vision for passenger safety and high-end customer experience.”
Stuart Simpson, CEO of Vertical Aerospace, said that “Valo is progressing from an advanced design into an aircraft supported by the people, systems and industrial capability needed for certification and production at scale.”, He included that the partnerships provide “further strength to the world-class supplier ecosystem behind Valo.”
Northrop Grumman LITEF, which has more than six decades of experience in inertial navigation and reference systems, said the LCR-110 is approved to applicable EASA and US Federal Aviation Administration technical standards for inertial reference equipment. Its role on Valo will include integration into the aircraft’s flight-critical systems.
Daniel Martens, Director of Commercial Aviation Business Unit at NG LITEF, said that the group “brings more than 60 years of experience developing high-integrity inertial systems for some of the world’s most demanding aerospace platform.”
The new agreements expand Vertical’s supplier network, which includes Honeywell Aerospace, Sonaca, Evolito, Hyundai WIA, Syensqo, Isoclima and Astronics. The company said the partnerships support its strategy of developing a common aircraft platform for multiple configurations and missions.
Vertical is developing Valo as a piloted, four-passenger electric aircraft, with plans for a six-passenger cabin configuration and electric, hybrid-electric and autonomous variants aimed at commercial and defence applications. The company expects common systems across the platform to help streamline certification, manufacturing and in-service support.
The supplier announcements come as Vertical works to move Valo from design and development towards certification and commercial production. The company has disclosed around 1,500 pre-orders, with customers including American Airlines, Avolon, Bristow, GOL and Japan Airlines. Some customer commitments are expected to be fulfilled through third-party agreements.
The latest agreements establish responsibilities for two important aircraft systems, but Vertical has not provided a new certification or entry-into-service date in the announcement.
