'Radia will produce the WindRunner in Grottaglie: first flight planned for 2029'

For three fundamental factors. First of all because in Italy, and especially in the Mezzogiorno, there is expertise from large and small companies. Then because there are no conflicts of interest, I mean large construction companies with their own competing programmes. Lastly, we thought of an investment in southern Italy because public funding is available there: this is a business initiative that could relaunch civil aeronautics, which is in crisis in Italy due to the absence of a new industrial project. And for an investment of this type, there is no way around it.

There is talk of a 3 billion investment: correct?

We think that the investment, not defined in total but undoubtedly in the billions, should be private for 40% and public for the remainder. We have already had contacts with private investors, Confindustria is close to us, the Brindisi territorial with the director Angelo Guarini is very active in fostering links, and also with institutional players: from Mimit to the Regions concerned, and the Zes. We decided to use existing manufacturing technologies to speed up production and to contain costs that would otherwise have exploded.

So all made in Italy? .

Almost everything. The design phase was handled in the USA. As for the necessary certifications, we decided to equip the aircraft with both American and Italian ones. So it will be tested by Fia, the Federal Aviation Administration, the American body that regulates and supervises civil aviation, and also by Enac.

Are some regions also involved?

Puglia, Campania and Calabria. The first two because they boast important aerospace industrial poles with research centres and infrastructure. As for Calabria, we plan to set up a training school there to train Radia personnel. We expect to hire 2500 people.

The financial picture remains unclear.

It is now necessary to clarify how it will be possible to access the funds. And this is necessary in order to take further steps: from the last quarter of 2025 we will move to industrialisation and it is necessary to have certainty of funding.

In detail, how will you organise production?

The actual production will be carried out in suppliers' factories, everything will then flow into a final assembly line in a new Radia plant in Grottaglie, Apulia, near the airport.