Bristow secures early delivery positions
for 5 Elroy Air Chaparral aircraft
BRISTOW PRESS RELEASE | SEPTEMBER 5, 2023
The Chaparral will be the first of its kind VTOL aircraft dedicated to cargo movement to be introduced into Bristow’s aircraft fleet. Bristow Image
Bristow Group Inc., a global
provider of innovative and sustainable vertical flight solutions, has reserved early
delivery slots for five of Elroy Air’s vertical take-off and landing (VTOL)
cargo systems, the Chaparral.
Bristow signed a letter of intent
(LOI) with Elroy Air to pre-order 100 Chaparral hybrid-electric cargo VTOL
aircraft last year.
The Chaparral will be the first of
its kind VTOL aircraft dedicated to cargo movement to be introduced into
Bristow’s aircraft fleet. Bristow plans to use the Chaparral internationally to
move time-sensitive cargo for logistics, healthcare and energy applications.
“There is an increasing demand for
the movement of time-sensitive cargo for logistics, health care and energy
applications. Securing these early delivery positions underscores our
commitment to leading the advanced air mobility market and builds on our
75-plus year legacy of vertical lift innovations,” said Bristow executive vice
president and chief transformation officer Dave Stepanek.
“At Bristow, we’re excited to usher
in a new era of vertical lift operations and collaborate with Elroy Air to meet
the emerging market of express shipping cargo in cities and regions without
relying on existing or new airport infrastructure.”
The Chaparral is a “lift plus
cruise” hybrid eVTOL cargo aircraft that leverages the benefits of both
conventional turbines and electric propulsion, for efficient autonomous
operation and longer range.
Engineered with an advanced carbon
composite airframe, Chaparral can be configured to ship inside a 40-foot
container or in aircraft for rapid global deployment.
Elroy Air has
introduced advanced modular cargo pods that complement the Chaparral’s
capabilities.
The pods are pre-loaded by ground
personnel and autonomously retrieved by the Chaparral aircraft before takeoff.
Upon arrival at the delivery location, the aircraft autonomously lowers the pod
to the ground.
The Chaparral aircraft then
retrieves the next pre-packed pod, creating a seamless bi-directional conveyor
belt through the sky.
“Getting to this stage of the
process – reserved delivery positions secured with deposits, underscores our relationship
built with Bristow and we are extremely pleased to be at this stage in
development,” said Elroy Air’s VP of business development and strategy, Kofi
Asante.
“Bristow’s expertise is a strong
catalyst for bringing new aircraft like ours to the market. Their rotorcraft
expertise, global footprint and innovative mindset have made them a strong
partner and we are excited for the next chapter together. We look forward to
seeing the Chaparral operate internationally as part of the Bristow fleet.”
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