A group of leading global players in the aviation, tourism & hospitality, construction and investment sectors has formed a consortium to develop the required infrastructure for the entry and operation of aircraft eVTOL (electrical propulsion, vertical take-off and landing aircraft) in Greece, until 2026.
As the relevant announcement explains, eVTOLs are aircraft with electric propulsion systems, with the possibility of vertical take-off and landing, without requiring the existence of a runway. They can carry up to six passengers with zero emissions, minimal noise levels, and at a cost per kilometer, absolutely comparable to that of a conventional taxi. These are aircraft designed to operate in urban centers (until now inaccessible to traditional means of air transport), allowing seamless, efficient and high-speed passenger transport, in a sustainable, environmentally and economically optimal way.
The eVTOLs will be served by vertical landing and takeoff stations, called Vertiport. Vertiport stations are designed to be located in urban centers, either in available open spaces, or on suitably configured building roofs. As well as regional destinations, mainland and island territory.
Her platform Orama Nexus will start with constructing Vertiport stations in central points and suburbs of Athens and Thessaloniki, as well as in more than twenty regional urban centres and islands. At the same time, it will continue the development of its network with the installation of more than a hundred small passenger boarding and disembarking stations (Vertistops) in areas throughout Greece. The ON platform aims to expand its network, to create an aerial connection through scheduled or on-demand routes with every corner of the Greek territory.
“After thorough research in the global market, we are proud to have chosen Greece for the implementation of this innovative air transport system, which will allow the residents of Athens to cross their city in less than 10 minutes and at a cost equivalent to a taxi, at the same time it will offer comfortable access to previously inaccessible, mainly island destinations, while at the same time it will provide the possibility of direct and affordable air transportation to every hotel unit and business in Greece”, said the Alain GrangePresident of Orama Ventures LLC.
The ON platform will connect all the main international entry gates for visitors to the country, such as the Athens International Airport “El. Venizelos”, with the city center as well as with a number of popular destinations, often allowing tourists to go directly to their chosen accommodation destination.
Currently the estimated operational range of eVTOLs is estimated at 150 miles (> 240 km), while the design of the Vertiport & Vertistop stations has been done in such a way that the distance of the interconnected destinations, combined, far exceeds the nominal range of the aircraft.
While the upcoming development of battery technology is expected to significantly increase the range of eVTOLs, the ON platform, through the network of stations it has designed, is going to positively affect the daily lives of residents, regardless of where they live.
Orama Nexus is expected to raise funds of over 500 million euros for the first part of the investment, while the total amount is expected to exceed 2 billion euros, for the first ten years of operation of the platform, including the development of the network and the supply of the required aircraft.
“The Orama Nexus platform offers an excellent investment opportunity, in a sustainable venture whose ecological features maximize the return on investment, while at the same time creating business development offering thousands of jobs in hundreds of regions throughout Greece,” said from London Kash ChandaranaCEO of Luxe Brand Assets.
While consultations with various government agencies and potential partners from related sectors of activity in Greece are set to continue throughout 2022, Orama Nexus intends to proceed with the acquisition of the required properties and the permitting procedures for the construction of the first stations Vertiport, inside the 2023.
“We are very proud to have been selected as the exclusive partner of Orama Nexus for the construction and development of this innovative venture, and we are going to devote all available resources to the realization of contract construction works and new green energy delivery systems, so as to ensure that the implementation of the ON platform in all its parts, will be characterized by the highest standards of technical excellence”, said Mr Christos PanagiotopoulosPresident of AKTOR A.T.E.
The European Union is currently conducting a major legislative process together with EASA (European Union Aviation Safety Agency) to establish an air traffic legislative framework for the smooth integration of this new industry. It is expected that the legislative arrangements and the expected delivery schedules of the eVTOL manufacturers will allow Orama Nexus to start its services in Greece by 2026.
