Vertical Aerospace adds Sigma Air Mobility as new Valo customer

Vertical Aerospace has added Sigma Air Mobility, part of the Luxaviation Group, as a prospective customer for its Valo electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft.

Announced at the Farnborough International Airshow, the memorandum of understanding covers the intended purchase and operation of Valo aircraft, although neither the number of aircraft nor the potential value of the agreement has been disclosed.

The agreement will also see Vertical and Sigma work together on aircraft operations, operational testing, commercial readiness and customer requirements as they prepare for the introduction of electric air mobility services.

Sigma Air Mobility was established by Luxaviation to develop and operate advanced air mobility services, drawing on the group’s experience in business aviation, aircraft management and ground operations.

Luxaviation manages a global fleet of more than 200 business aircraft, while its ExecuJet subsidiary operates a network of more than 100 fixed-base operator locations.

Michael Cervenka, chief commercial and strategy officer at Vertical Aerospace, said experienced operators would be essential to moving eVTOL aircraft beyond certification and into everyday commercial service.

“Sigma Air Mobility and Luxaviation Group bring decades of operational expertise that will help ensure Valo integrates seamlessly into aviation networks and is ready to deliver for operators and passengers from day one,” he said.

Luxaviation adds Valo to wider AAM strategy

The agreement is not Luxaviation or Sigma Air Mobility’s first involvement with an advanced air mobility aircraft developer.

Luxaviation began working with Lilium in 2022 and expanded the partnership in 2024, with the companies focusing on aircraft operations and the ground infrastructure required to support the planned Lilium Jet. The agreement was intended to make use of Luxaviation’s operational expertise and ExecuJet’s FBO network.

Sigma subsequently announced a partnership with Hyundai Motor Group subsidiary Supernal at the 2024 Farnborough International Airshow. That agreement covered the development of potential markets in South and Southeast Asia and Southern Europe, with Sigma expected to operate Supernal eVTOL aircraft and support vertiport development.

It also signed an agreement with VoltAero to explore potential operations involving the Cassio hybrid-electric aircraft, including a possible route demonstration and air ambulance applications. Sigma has separately worked with Nordic eVTOL Networks on the development of operating infrastructure in Scandinavia.

However, based on the public announcements surrounding those partnerships, none disclosed a defined aircraft purchase commitment by Sigma or Luxaviation. The Vertical agreement, therefore, appears to represent a firm step towards acquiring an AAM fleet, even though the number of Valo aircraft covered by the MoU remains unknown.

Christophe Lapierre, CEO of Sigma Air Mobility, said the agreement would take the relationship “beyond the aircraft” by bringing together the vehicle and the operational ecosystem needed to support it.

Sigma joins Valo’s 1,500-aircraft pipeline

Vertical currently reports approximately 1,500 conditional pre-orders for Valo, with a potential value of around $6 billion. Its latest corporate materials identify American Airlines, Avolon, Bristow, GOL and Japan Airlines among its principal customers.

American Airlines placed a conditional pre-order for up to 250 aircraft, with options for another 100, and later committed pre-delivery payments to secure the first 50 delivery positions.

Aircraft lessor Avolon agreed to acquire up to 500 aircraft and subsequently allocated that capacity among several airlines and mobility partners. Its placements included 250 aircraft for GOL and Grupo Comporte in Brazil, up to 100 for Japan Airlines, at least 100 for AirAsia and up to 100 for Gözen Holding. Those airline commitments sit within Avolon’s wider order rather than being additional to it.

Bristow has separately pre-ordered up to 50 aircraft, with options for another 50, as part of a partnership to develop a turnkey operating model covering aircraft, pilots, maintenance and insurance.

Vertical has also recently added Indian business aviation operator JetSetGo and Héli Air Monaco to its customer ecosystem, although aircraft quantities were not disclosed in either announcement.

The company is now working towards Critical Design Review, which will establish the certifiable design baseline for Valo before certification-conforming aircraft enter production and testing. The new Sigma agreement is intended to ensure operational requirements are fed into that process before the aircraft enters commercial service.