The first global provider for private urban air mobility announces a phenomenal vertical mobility platform

 

Where private aviation was previously thought of in terms of moving people from airport to airport, today’s travel is becoming a doorstep-to-doorstep concept.

Halo, the first global provider for private urban air mobility, has placed a firm order of 200 Eve Urban Air Mobility vehicles, making it the launch customer for this aircraft. The electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft have an expected delivery date in 2026. One hundred of the vehicles will be used for operations in the United States and 100 will operate in the United Kingdom.

Halo becomes Eve’s launch partner in building the world’s first comprehensive urban air mobility system. The order establishes Eve, an independent company formed by Embraer S.A., as the leader in a global eVTOL market that is growing rapidly in response to enthusiasm around sustainability and vertical mobility.

In addition, Halo announced the alignment of U.K.-based Halo Aviation (Halo) and U.S.-based Associated Aircraft Group (AAG) under the Halo brand. Both companies had been acquired earlier this year by OneSky Flight, a member of the Directional Aviation family. The alignment ensures consistent service for Halo’s clients traveling in two of the world’s leading global centers of business. In addition, Halo will provide streamlined experiences for world-traveling clients of sister companies in the Directional Aviation family of brands: Flexjet, Sentient Jet, PrivateFly and FXAIR.

“Bringing together two companies, which are leading providers of vertical lift and urban mobility services in two of the most important markets, will create a phenomenal vertical mobility platform,” said Kenneth C. Ricci, Principal, Directional Aviation. “And in placing this order for a revolutionary breakthrough in urban air mobility, we are advancing toward safe, efficient and sustainable travel in and between our cities. eVTOL urban air mobility is the greatest opportunity, and the greatest challenge, I have seen in my 40 years in aviation, and Eve is positioned to make it a reality.”

Andrew Collins will be leading the vertical lift transition for One Sky and said, “Where private aviation was previously thought of in terms of moving people from airport to airport, today’s travel is becoming a doorstep-to-doorstep concept. With the Halo and AAG leadership team’s core competency, we are particularly well-positioned to create that new reality better than any other provider. We are on the cusp of global aviation innovations that you can’t even imagine.”

Nearly a dozen eVTOL aircraft designs were evaluated before Halo selected Eve as its launch product to deliver its vertical lift vision. In selecting this aircraft and manufacturer, Ricci said he assessed several elements that pointed to its future success.

“We believe Eve has designed an aircraft that not only is well-prepared for initial certification but also has a proven track record of production,” Ricci said. “The outstanding lineage of aircraft design, certification and production that Embraer brings to this aircraft positions Eve with significant advantages in the competitive landscape. And our background as operators has taught us that product support is absolutely vital to the overall success of new programs. The relationship between Embraer and Eve will create one of the most successful global product support infrastructures in the industry. Finally, the work that Eve and Embraer have completed around their traffic management system is just one more example of how uniquely positioned Eve is to help us deliver on our vision.”

Halo becomes the leading premium helicopter travel provider in the U.K. and U.S. – and the first global vertical lift provider

In May, 2021, OneSky Flight acquired Halo Aviation, a leading helicopter travel operator in the U.K., and in February, 2021, it acquired Associated Aircraft Group (AAG), the premier operator of executive Sikorsky helicopter service in the Northeastern U.S. Combining the two companies under the Halo brand creates a vertical mobility powerhouse, providing a foundation in the U.S. and U.K. for the establishment of eVTOL service.

Halo will operate the fleets of the former Halo Aviation and AAG, giving it full control of their assets and ensuring that its vertical lift operations can be aligned with those of other OneSky companies including luxury fractional jet provider Flexjet; jet card pioneer Sentient Jet; and on-demand jet charter providers FXAIR and PrivateFly. The synergies will include a door-to-door air travel solution for users of private aviation so that, no matter how people prefer to fly, these companies will have solutions for them.