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EU Clean Sky 2’s Next Generation Civil Tiltrotor Technology Demonstrator (NGCTR-TD) Performs First Flight
Leonardo and the EU Clean Aviation JU (Joint Undertaking) recently announced the first flight of the Next Generation Civil Tiltrotor – Technology Demonstrator (NGCTR-TD), which took place at Leonardo’s Cascina Costa di Samarate facility in Italy this past December. This milestone marks the start of the flight test phase for one of the most advanced technology programs in the European civil aviation landscape.
The Next Generation Civil Tiltrotor (NGCTR) program aims to revolutionize civil vertical-lift by combining helicopter versatility with fixed-wing aircraft performance. With a cruise speed of 280 knots and a range of approximately 1,000 nautical miles, the tiltrotor opens new scenarios for mobility, freight transport and search and rescue missions, enabling faster coverage of larger areas with a significantly reduced environmental footprint.
The NGCTR-TD has been developed within Clean Sky 2, which is a core initiative of the European Horizon 2020 program and an EU-funded initiative for the development and validation of aeronautical technologies that will improve
environmental impact and
enhance the European aerospace supply chain. The NGCTR-TD brings together
28 Jan/Feb 2026
industry, research centers, and academia to address
the
societal challenges of aviation, reducing emissions and noise while strengthening Europe’s global competitiveness.
Launched in 2015, the program involves multiple organizations from several European countries, building an unprecedented level of know- how within the EU. Following the successful completion of ground runs in July 2024, the first flight represents a fundamental step toward validating the five new technologies and performance improvements in terms of CO2, NOx and noise reduction, as well as lower cost of ownership.
The NGCTR-TD’s key enabling technologies include: advanced wing architecture; an innovative tail layout; non-tilting engine installation with high-efficiency nacelle architecture and split-gearbox drivetrain; an advanced, modular, distributed, and scalable flight control system (FCS). The innovative solutions developed and integrated into the NGCTR-TD contribute to reducing drag, optimizing engine installation, reducing on-ground emission effects and noise, while enhancing control and performance.
Gian Piero Cutillo, managing director of Leonardo Helicopters, stated, “Building on our established expertise in the tiltrotor domain, bringing this Technology
environmental and
Demonstrator to the air for the first time sets a major milestone on our path to provide a key contribution towards an even
more advanced, effective and
sustainable use of rotorcraft technologies in Europe. Vertical lift continues to provide invaluable advantages to operators and communities for multiple tasks globally, therefore we’re committed to developing and providing solutions that allow us to uniquely combine the best of both worlds, rotary- and fix-wing architectures, allowing access to all-new capabilities. ”
Axel Krein, Clean Aviation JU’s executive director, stated, “The NGCTR shows how Europe can turn ambition and vision into impact: the program brought together more than 85 organizations from 15 countries with a common goal: to develop faster and more sustainable rotorcraft based on tilt-rotor architecture. With €116 million in EU funding across over 30 grant agreements, final outcomes go far beyond the project itself: more than 20 patents originated in the NGCTR, and the program has helped drive skills development, industrial capabilities, and new European supply chains. This makes the NGCTR Company Internal, launched under Clean Aviation’s predecessor Clean Sky 2, a key contributor to strengthening Europe’s strategic leadership in sustainable air transport.
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