SGL Carbon has produced landing gear using braided carbon fibre material and will begin its serial production soon. The landing skids will be installed in around 500 air taxis worldwide over the next two years. The ultra-light landing skid weighs less than three kilograms, which is about 15 per cent lighter than a similar component made from aluminium.

The air taxis will be powered by several electric motors. Measuring about two meters in length and 1.5 meters in width, the landing skid is ultra-light which increases the potential flight time capacity of the air taxi, a key differentiator for the air taxi operator.

“With our landing gear we help to shape this very new, promising application of manned, autonomous civil aviation. This involvement also demonstrates our wide range of services. From engineering, to prototype manufacture, to serial production with our own materials – all of our competences along the entire value chain made a contribution to the project,” emphasises Dr. Andreas Erber, head of the Aerospace segment of the Composites – Fibres and Materials business unit at SGL Carbon.

The landing gear has been developed in collaboration with customer experts and specialists from SGL Carbon. The carbon fibres are produced at the SGL Carbon plant in Muir of Ord, Scotland. The final part is being manufactured at the SGL Carbon site in Innkreis, Austria.