PAL-V to establish assembly and delivery centre at Breda International Airport
Flying car designer and developer PAL-V has signed an agreement with Forum Group, the owner of Breda International Airport, to establish an assembly and delivery centre at the Netherlands facility.
Under the scope of the Letter of Intent, Breda International Airport will be the first international airport to host a dedicated PAL-V assembly and delivery centre; intended to “support the roll-out of the PAL-V FlyDrive vehicles” as they approach certification and commercial availability. The airport is already home to the Dutch manufacturer’s FlyDrive Academy “where customers of PAL-V have been trained since 2019 for their flight license to use their PAL-V Liberty FlyDrive vehicle,” explains the company.
The PAL-V Liberty is a two-seat, road-legal vehicle, able to transform into a gyroplane through its extendable appendages. “Starting from home, users could drive to one of the world’s 40,000 plus airstrips, convert the aircraft in a matter of minutes, and fly to wherever they want to go” explains PAL-V. As well as the relevant road license, operators of the PAL-V in aircraft mode must also possess a suitable pilot’s qualification.
CEO of PAL-V Robert Dingemanse described Breda International Airport as “a location that perfectly aligns with [PAL-V’s] vision of integrating air mobility into existing transportation networks,” adding: “As we edge closer to finalising certification, this facility will be crucial in ensuring that our customers experience the highest standard of service and support once they receive their PAL-V Liberty FLyDriving vehicles”.
Having already received permission to operate as a road-legal vehicle, PAL-V is pursuing EASA type certification using CS-27 (Certification Specifications for Small Rotorcraft) as a starting point; something originally agreed in 2009.
