Charles Alcock is managing editor of the AIN Media Group, having rejoined the company in 2019. He has been an aviation journalist since 1986, and previously worked for AIN from 1990 to 2017, most recently as editor-in-chief. His main focus is on covering new aviation technology and business models, as well as international news.
Having been raised in the London area, Alcock studied at the University of Manchester in the UK and earned an honors degree in Politics and Modern History. He speaks English and French, and some German.

Managing Editor

Charles Alcock

Crisalion Mobility has logged another provisional order for its Integrity eVTOL aircraft, announcing an agreement for 20 units on December 4 with Florida-based operator UrbanLink Air Mobility. The Spanish start-up reported it now holds “pre-sales” agreements for 145 of the five—passenger, piloted vehicle from customers on four continents, including <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/futureflight/2024-07-24/wilbur-air-plans-operate-crisalions-integrity-evtol-australia">Wilbur Air in Australia</a> and <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/futureflight/2024-06-21/spanish-business-aircraft-operator-commits-crisalions-evtol">iJet Aviation in Spain</a>.
Since it was formed in early 2024, UrbanLink has signed several agreements with other electric aircraft developers, including earlier this month with Traverse Aero for 40 of its <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/futureflight/2024-12-02/urbanlink-plans-add-orca-cargo-drones-diverse-fleet">Orca cargo eVTOL vehicles</a>. The Miami-based company also has commitments with Lilium and Eviation, as well as with wing-in-ground-effect sea vessel pioneers Regent Craft and Artemis.
The announcement with Crisalion specifically mentioned plans to launch services in European cities including Madrid and Milan.&nbsp;According to UrbanLink's chairman and founder, Ed Wegel, the company is carefully selecting the various new aircraft models for specific missions and to support the staged roll out of its business model in different markets.
For instance,&nbsp;it plans to use the Lilium Jet six-passenger eVTOL for "bespoke private-label services on behalf of major corporations" in the U.S., while the Orca is expected to enter service in Puerto Rico and Florida, with agencies including FEMA and the National Guard. Regent's Viceroy sea glider and the Artemis vessels are intended to connect coastal communities along the Florida coast and throughout the Caribbean Sea. Eviation's nine-passenger Alice fixed-wing aircraft could be operated between airports in the U.S., Europe and the Caribbean.
"Maintaining order with multiple eVTOL OEMs helps us mitigate the risks of certification or delivery delays from any one OEM and also enables us to scale operations more efficiently by leveraging staggered production timelines as OEMs will have to spread initial production of their aircraft over many operators," Wegel told AIN.
<h2>FlyFree Powers Integrity</h2>
The Integrity will be powered by Crisalion’s proprietary FlyFree propulsion system, which features four sets of four-rotor units attached to a pair of booms on a fixed wing. The company aims to achieve type certification to be ready to start deliveries in 2030, with a projected range of around 100 kilometers (54 nm).
Madrid-based <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/news-article/2023-12-01/crisalion-bets-its-flyfree-propulsion-concept-will-make-evtol-air-services">Crisalion</a>, which was founded in 2019, recently started the process of securing its EASA design organization approval. During the course of 2024, it has conducted flight tests with a one-sixth-scale model of the Integrity in order to validate the FlyFree architecture. It is working to start flight testing a full-scale prototype in 2026.
“It is an honor to welcome UrbanLink to the Crisalion family of partners,” said Crisalion CEO Manuel Heredia. “UrbanLink’s vision of becoming a fully-electric, efficient transport operator is perfectly aligned with our commitment to lead the mobility of the future, driving innovation, quality and sustainability.”

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