Horizon Aircraft Ltd. has signed a Letter of Intent with Ontario-based Great Lakes Helicopter to establish the operational infrastructure required to commercialize its Cavorite X7 hybrid-electric Vertical Take-off and Landing aircraft.
Under the terms of the agreement, Great Lakes Helicopter will provide maintenance, repair, and overhaul services alongside dedicated pilot training programs designed to support future Cavorite X7 operators. Additionally, the helicopter operator and flight school intends to purchase a fleet of Cavorite X7 aircraft.
The partnership aims to combine MRO expertise, aircraft operations, and specialized flight training as Canadian aerospace manufacturer Horizon Aircraft advances the Cavorite X7 toward full commercial market readiness.
Chad McIntosh, Managing Director of Great Lakes Helicopter, said, “At Great Lakes Helicopter, our vision extends beyond operating aircraft. We’re a flight school and operator building the training, maintenance, and operational infrastructure to support our operations and the clients we serve today – and this partnership with Horizon Aircraft is a natural extension of that work.”
To support this initiative, the helicopter operator is developing a dedicated facility to service advanced aircraft designs.
McIntosh added, “We are building a new Rotor Services maintenance facility that will support next-generation platforms like the X7. Aircraft like this could open up faster, more reliable access to critical services for remote and underserved communities, and we want GLH’s maintenance, training, and operations expertise to be part of making that real.”
For Horizon Aircraft, securing early operational and logistical partnerships provides a clearer path to market integration for potential commercial customers evaluating hybrid-electric VTOL technology.
Horizon Aircraft Co-Founder and CEO Brandon Robinson, said, “Partnering with an experienced MRO and pilot training organization like Great Lakes Helicopter is an important step as we build the ecosystem needed to support the Cavorite X7 and its future customers. With so many operators and communities poised to benefit from the X7’s capabilities, having reliable maintenance and pilot training in place gives future customers a clearer path toward integrating our next-generation VTOL aircraft into their operations.”
