$50m of orders for the Valkyrie, but delivery date unclear
The order book for the super sleek prop, the Valkyrie Co50 now stands at a healthy $50 million, and has filled up fast since it was unveiled last November. So much so in fact, that owners Cobalt have just pressed pause on any new orders, while they focus on progressing the FAA certification process – which is still at the very early stages.
So far there are 80 individual aircraft orders, each priced at $699,000 (slightly higher than the $600,000 originally expected). But it’s not yet clear when these can be delivered.
Observers have dubbed the futuristic-looking aircraft the ‘Batmobile in the sky’ and compared its look to a fighter jet – worlds away from a typical propeller aircraft. It offers a fast and cost-effective option for short flights, but still with a high-spec luxury cabin experience, to rival many jets. See more on the difference between jet and propeller aircraft.
The 5-seater aircraft can fly at speeds of up to 260 knots (Mach 0.39), as opposed to the typical 240 knots of other prop aircraft. And it offers a flight range of 1,050 nm – the same as small jet market leaders the Citation Mustang and Embraer Phenom 100, but at a much lower price point.
Read more: Meet the ‘Batplane’ Valkyrie, the fastest piston in the sky
Cobalt was formed by French entrepreneur David Loury, who previously worked as an engineer at Airbus Group. The company raised its seed capital in 2008 and now has 78 shareholders, including Airbus executives.
The Valkyrie’s closest rival, the Cirrus SR22, has proved commercially successful in recent years. So there’s every reason to expect it to be a success too. But the 80 new customers – 75% are US based with the majority small business owners – may be in for a bit of a wait.
The aircraft has no official delivery date, as Cobalt has yet to make an official application to the FAA for its certification. So this puts likely delivery at least three years away. Though the company says that most of the anticipated testing program is already complete and puts a lack of clear delivery date down to a lack of political leverage.
In the meantime, the Valkyrie Co50’s sister aircraft, the Valkyrie-X, is already available to purchase (at $595,000) but as as a certified experimental aircraft. This means it can be used only for races, exhibitions, training and other non-commercial uses.
While we wait for the Valkyrie, our Flight Team can advise on other small private aircraft charter. Contact us or call +44 1747 642 777 (24 hours).
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