Vessel "Vessel Aerospace Begins Full-Scale Acquisition of Global UAM Certification"

[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Hyowon] Vessel (CEO Seo Giman) announced on the 16th that its subsidiary Vessel Aerospace has signed a partnership agreement with AeroMech Inc., a civil aviation certification delegation company of the US FAA (Federal Aviation Administration).

This agreement was made to acquire global certification systems, including the United States, in the field of future air mobility (AAM) including urban air mobility (UAM).

AeroMech is an aviation certification specialist company that continues business cooperation with global aviation companies covering US companies such as Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Raytheon, Cessna, and European companies such as British Aerospace and Dassault, spanning civil aviation and defense industries. Recently, it has also signed an agreement to establish a global aviation certification cooperation system with the Korea Aerospace Industry-University Convergence Institute, actively discovering promising domestic aviation companies.

AeroMech is an ODA (Organization Designation Authorization) organization officially certified by the US FAA for aircraft parts development and airworthiness certification authority. In particular, in the RVSM (Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum) field, it is the only aviation certification specialist company that can submit STC (Supplemental Type Certificate) required by the FAA through its own certification activities.

Vessel Aerospace is the first private company to independently develop and obtain safety certification for the light aircraft KLA-100 and has experience in mass production. Since 2019, it has been responsible for the overall development and production of the airframe and propulsion system of the 'electric-powered manned/unmanned vertical takeoff and landing vehicle' for UAM application, led by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute. This is why AeroMech was much more proactive in signing this AAM/UAM global certification partnership.

According to the company, AeroMech has visited Vessel Aerospace’s headquarters and development sites several times since last year to verify its technological capabilities. It was also reported that AeroMech CEO Tony Widecker personally visited the Vessel Aerospace Anseong plant for the signing ceremony.

Kim Chibung, CEO of Vessel Aerospace, said, “In the UAM era flying between urban buildings, proving the safety of airframes and aircraft parts is the core of acquiring airworthiness certification systems.”

He added, “Through the partnership with AeroMech, which has rich experience in developing and certifying aircraft parts, equipment, and airframes with world-renowned aviation companies, we will leap forward as a global UAM airframe manufacturer, not only domestically but also globally.”