VoltAero lines up Middle East customers for Cassio

The French company’s founder and CEO Jean Botti, told Arabian Aerospace at the Farnborough Airshow in July.

Botti told media that its launch aircraft the Cassio 330, which has five seats, is non-pressurised and features its parallel electric-hybrid powertrain, is halfway through certification.

The plan is for first flight in early 2025, certification to be complete by the end of 2025 and the production of 15-20 330s in 2026 and first deliveries to customers that year.

Botti said VoltAero will also begin manufacturing the next aircraft in the family, the 6-seat Cassio 480, “very quickly” after the introduction of the 330 at its new factory in France. The 480 is more powerful than the 330 and will feature a pressurised cabin and retractable landing gear.

The aim to ramp up to an output of 150 Cassio family aircraft annually. A 10–12-seater version, the Cassio 600, will augment the family later.

VoltAero has 232 pre-orders to date for various Cassio models. Botti stressed that the Cassio family is aimed at operators who want a fixed-wing aircraft that has environmentally responsible credentials plus operating flexibility and efficiency.

The first applications will be for operators that require an aircraft capable of 400 km or 2-hour stage lengths with passenger, cargo medevac and wheelchair missions all envisaged.