According to press release put out
'MEDIA INFORMATION Company Internal EU CLEAN SKY 2’S NEXT GENERATION CIVIL TILTROTOR TECNOLOGY DEMOSTRATOR (NGCTR-TD) PERFORMS FIRST FLIGHT MARKING MAJOR PROJECT MILESTONE Rome, 19 December 2025 - Leonardo and the EU Clean Aviation JU (Joint Undertaking) are pleased to announce the first flight of the Next Generation Civil Tiltrotor – Technology Demonstrator (NGCTR-TD), which took place at Leonardo’s Cascina Costa di Samarate facility (Italy) today. This milestone marks the start of the flight test phase for one of the most advanced technology programmes in the European civil aviation landscape. The Next Generation Civil Tiltrotor (NGCTR) programme aims to revolutionise 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 & Rescue missions, enabling faster coverage of larger areas with a significantly reduced environmental footprint. The NGCTR-TD has been developed within Clean Sky 2, a core initiative of the European Horizon 2020 programme 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 NGCTRTD brings together industry, research centres and academia to address the environmental and societal challenges of aviation, reducing emissions and noise while strengthening Europe’s global competitiveness.'
cheers