At the Baden-based air taxi pioneer Volocopter, plans to commence passenger operations have been postponed. Following its acquisition by the Chinese company Wanfeng, the targeted type certification from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is now not expected until 2026. A company spokesperson confirmed this upon request, citing the insolvency proceedings and the associated restructuring measures as the reason for the delay.
The company, based in Bruchsal near Karlsruhe, had originally hoped to transport passengers with its electric-powered vertical takeoff and landing aircraft during the Paris Olympic Games last year. However, these plans could not be realized due to a lack of certification. After Volocopter filed for insolvency proceedings at the end of last year due to financial difficulties, it was acquired by Wanfeng in March. At the time, it was stated that certification would be achieved before the end of this year.
Following the acquisition and renaming, the company now operates as Volocopter Technologies GmbH and is a sister company of the Austrian Wanfeng subsidiary Diamond Aircraft Industries. The Volocopter brand will remain, and Bruchsal will remain the company headquarters. As part of the acquisition, 160 employees of the former Volocopter GmbH were retained to secure important expertise and operational capacity. The current focus is on restructuring and stabilizing the company.
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