Embarking on the Uncharted Flight of Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (EVTOL) Innovation!
Have you ever felt the exhilarating rush of absolute freedom, soaring through the skies with the wind in your hair? For Carlos Poveda Rey, this sensation became a lifelong calling that sprouted at the remarkable age of seven. ‘It’s more than flying; it’s absolute freedom,’ he muses, reflecting on that transformative moment when he first took flight in an ultralight aircraft, accompanied by his father. Little did he know that this childhood revelation would shape the trajectory of his life, propelling him toward an unrelenting commitment to the world of aviation.
From dreamer to licensed pilot, and now a distinguished flight instructor, Carlos has dedicated every fiber of his being to actualizing the dreams of that wide-eyed seven-year-old gazing up at the vast expanse above. His journey, a testament to determination and passion, reflects a seamless blend of ambition and achievement, proving that the sky is not the limit—it’s the launchpad for boundless possibilities.
Amidst the clouds, Carlos identified an opportunity to redefine the aviation landscape. Thus, Crisalion Mobility was born—an embodiment of his vision to contribute to the industry’s evolution. Now, as its CEO, he is poised to etch his name in the annals of aviation history as the first Spanish pilot to navigate the skies in an Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (EVTOL) aircraft.
Let’s explore how dedication to aviation continues to propel Carlos to new heights!
Share key leadership qualities you find crucial in navigating the aerospace sector.
If there is one thing I value in a company above all else, it is the team—the work of everyone working together as if we were one big family—which is why it is essential to listen to others. Everyone has ideas that can be wonderful and can boost the company with the mantra of working on innovation applied to technology.
At Crisalion Mobility, we are aware that we want a better world for our children, and that is why it is essential to make everyone aware of the importance of sustainability. If you add to this cocktail the continuous training of the team with passion for what we do and the best talent, the result is simply spectacular.
Describe a challenging situation you faced in your role and the lessons learned.
In the last decade, I have undertaken 4 different projects, each one more ambitious. In all of them, I have realized that it is common to face difficulties, whether in terms of financing, regulation, or technological barriers. However, I have also learned that every difficulty helps to make you stronger, especially if you know how to surround yourself with the best.
That’s why I pursue one thing wherever I go: finding the best talent and working insatiably to retain it. At the end of the day, these experiences are what help you become more agile, maintaining the confidence of investors as well as the motivation of the team, something I consider absolutely essential.
How do you stay updated on industry trends and encourage innovation within your team?
I am a person who loves to read, and when I have free time, I dedicate it to continuing to learn about current affairs in general and the aviation and mobility sector in particular, either with national or international publications. To this, you add that during these years we have cultivated a huge network of technological contacts, both with companies that develop products, technology centers, universities, or industry experts, which help you to continue acquiring knowledge and to listen to new ideas.
We cannot ignore the fact that we are in a world in which technology advances at a frenetic pace, and therefore we cannot miss any opportunity. We must be attentive to any progress that occurs on the planet to avoid falling into technological obsolescence. Hence, the importance of having great experts in the team helps us stay at the forefront.
How do you foster collaboration and inclusivity in a global industry?
Collaboration and inclusion in a global industry begin with input from the particular and the everyday. At Crisalion Mobility, we pay special attention to all our processes, but especially in the initial recruitment process to ensure diverse candidates, creating the right culture that starts with me as CEO and goes all the way down to the last team member.
It is essential to make each person who is part of this great family that is Crisalion Mobility feel that they are valued for their contribution to the project, beyond their race, sex, age, nationality, religion, etc., and to understand that thanks to collaboration, inclusion, and our differences, we are stronger and make better decisions.
Could you please share your approach to leading diverse teams in the aerospace field?
The key to leading a team, especially if it is diverse, is to appreciate and value each member for their differences, their individual achievements, and their contribution to the project. The aerospace field brings and needs brilliant and unconventional brains, technical and specialized profiles, designers of the future, and visionaries—in short, all kinds of human beings. knowing how to combine them to create an extraordinary melody with different instruments. Diversity is richness, and that is the key to success—to have many points of view, different visions, and new cultures and ways of seeing life.
How do you prioritize safety and ensure continuous improvement in standards?
Crisalion Mobility aims in the short term to adhere to the best practices of the aviation sector by being certified to ISO standards applicable to the development of its activity (ISO 9001, 27001, and ISO 9100). This aspect implies the continuous improvement of all processes in search of excellence as a sign of identity for our stakeholders.
Balancing innovation with regulatory requirements is crucial. How do you manage this?
The maxim we have at Crisalion Mobility is safety, above all else. It is a reality that technology advances faster than regulation, sometimes not in the same direction. Therefore, it is important to maintain contact with regulators to work on a joint development that meets the needs of the market while maintaining the highest safety standards and processes.
In our case, we have a close relationship with the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), as well as with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) of the United Arab Emirates.
What do you see as the main challenges and opportunities in the industry, and how are you preparing your team for them?
If there is a sector full of challenges and opportunities, it is ours. We can talk about regulatory challenges, for example. Fortunately, global regulation is advancing rapidly, thanks to the impetus given by the main stakeholders, such as the industry itself or investment funds.
The technological challenge is the order of the day, and in our case, it is to venture into batteries. We are working tirelessly to manufacture batteries that offer greater capacity and thus increase sustainability and attractiveness to our operators, as they would reduce maintenance and operating costs.
But if the field of challenges is wide, it is no less wide in terms of opportunities, since the market literally knows no limits; the limits are in our imagination. This is why we at Crisalion Mobility are constantly talking to air-ground transportation operators around the world. And that has helped us to have already identified services for the transport of passengers and cargo, but also for emergency services, rescues, or for use by state security forces.
All this is achieved thanks to the close contact we have with customers all over the world, whom we strive to take care of in order to jointly achieve advanced mobility solutions that are perfectly adapted to meet the needs of society.
