UK-based Lyte Aviation has announced that it has received 10 pre-orders from U.S.-based VIP jets service operator Ghenus Air to deliver its innovative 19-seater LA-44 X Prime eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) aircraft within 5-6 years for the U.S. and Korean market.

With the Lyte pre-orders, Ghenus Air is looking to significantly expand its door-to-door market for corporate executives, families, business owners, and small group tours. The operator had already pre-ordered 20 eVTOLs from Plana, 20 UAVs from Traverse Aero with a payload of 150 kg, and 50 eVTOLs from Odys Aviation with 9 seats and a payload of 1 ton.

Lyte, which received its first 10 pre-orders from VMan Aviation Services IFSC Pvt Ltd for the Indian market in November, believes it is creating the world’s most advanced eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) aircraft in the “heavy” eVTOL for urban and regional air mobility (UAM and RAM). The company says that no other VTOL product currently even comes feasibly close to SkyBus with its 40-passenger capacity enabled in part by its hybrid-hydrogen power approach. It is currently developing a 40-seater eVTOL LA-44 called SkyBus; a SkyTruck LA-44C cargo variant that can carry up to 4.5 tons; and most recently began work on the LA-44 X Prime variant.

“There are thousands of regional airports worldwide, most of them underutilized,” said Joseph Kim, CEO of Ghenus Air. “In the U.S., 90% of people live within a 30-min drive of a regional airport, compared with 60% for a commercial airport.”

He says that this existing capacity of underutilized airports could support a growing RAM market with less investment and ramp-up time than other new modes of transport such as UAM. Based on a McKinsey & Company analysis, RAM can bring together new aviation technologies and existing small airport infrastructure into a transportation model that is more equitable, more economical, and more environmentally friendly for air travel over short distances.

“If these changes materialize, the total addressable market for small regional flights globally could be $75 to $115 billion by 2035, representing 300 to 700 million passengers annually,” said Kim. “And that is why we see the 40-seater eVTOL aircraft by Lyte Aviation as an absolutely necessary vehicle to reach our future targets.“

“Since Korea is pursuing a hydrogen economy, the use of hydrogen-based Skybus and Skytruck is expected to not only be symbolic but also make a significant contribution to improving the profitability of local airports that are suffering huge losses,” Kim said. “In this regard, we are deeply grateful that we have the great opportunity of purchasing Lyte Aviation’s hybrid-hydrogen SkyBus, SkyTruck, and LA-44 X Prime version and to establish new routes between existing regional airports and new vertiports.“

Lyte’s “giant drone” models are the results of three years of R&D. They are designed to be five times more fuel efficient and less noisy than current helicopters.

“Within only 1 year, we are collaborating in over 19 cities on 4 continents and now we have received in total 20 pre-orders worth, in total, €800m during the concept phase,“ said Freshta Farzam, CEO & Founder Lyte Aviation. “Imagine the 2000 pre-orders we are warming up now once we have our prototype ready.”

Farzam, an entrepreneur new to aviation when she founded Lyte in 2020, believes that a bold mindset, sharp focus, and passionate co-creation are the solutions to tackle the climate crisis. She laid a solid foundation for Lyte Aviation in three years, researching, studying, co-creating, and attracting “genius minds“ onto her team that bring almost 200 years of collective aviation expertise together, signing strategic partnerships with suppliers and future clients, and creating the next-level UAM/RAM disruption.

The Ghenus Air pre-order comes as Lyte is expanding its portfolio to meet business aviation demand with its 19-seater LA-44 X Prime version, currently designing its interiors.

“Varying from large meeting rooms in the sky that will take off right at your corporate’s doorstep, no runways required anymore, up to spacious solutions for families for a flight duration of 2-3 hours, taking off right at their home doorsteps,“ she said. “Not only that Ghenus Air is targeting VIP clients in Seoul and Los Angeles, but especially, the strong ties that they have to Korean logistics and regional markets, is what led us proudly to agree to the pre-orders.”

The SkyBus offers a range of 620 mi (1000 km) with a max speed of 190 mph (300 km/h). Unlike other next-gen eVTOLs, the LA-44 has a tandem tilt-wing design. A full-scale prototype is being planned within 24 months, and serial production within 5 to 6 years.