Gol carrier announced plans to acquire 250 eVTOL to create a sustainable air transport network in Brazil in the coming years. The company signed an agreement with Comporte group and the lessor Avolon.
As agreed, the airline assumed the commitment to purchase or lease the vertical take-off and landing electric aircraft. The chosen model, the VA-X4, is manufactured by Vertical Aerospace and can carry up to four passengers and one pilot, with a range of 160 km and a maximum speed of 320 km/h.
According to Gol, the first step of this new partnership is to carry out a feasibility study. This includes the certification of the aircraft and the analysis of the infrastructure necessary for its operation by the Brazilian and international civil aviation authorities.
This is a relatively time-consuming process, as Avolon expects the certification process to be completed by 2024 in Brazil. If that happens, Gol plans to inaugurate commercial flights with eVTOL in 2025.
Gol is the second Brazilian airline to announce plans to explore the urban air mobility market. Competitor Azul unveiled a similar project in August in partnership with the German group Lilium.
More sustainable aircraft
Gol also reinforced its commitment to sustainability. The company, which has 127 Boeing 737 aircraft of different generations, stated that the goal is to transition 75% of the fleet to the 737 Max, which are more efficient and quieter. This process must be completed by 2030.
With the 737 Max and eVTOLs, in addition to the use of biofuels in airplanes, Gol intends to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, becoming a sustainable airline.
