New Horizon Aircraft Ltd. has appointed veteran aerospace engineer Richard Alexander as Chief Engineer of Certified Programs, strengthening the company’s leadership team as it advances certification, engineering development, and commercialization efforts for its hybrid-electric eVTOL aircraft, the Cavorite X7.
Alexander brings 38 years of aircraft development experience and a distinguished track record in aircraft design, engineering, and certification. In his new role, he will work alongside Horizon Aircraft Co-Founder Brian Robinson to support the development of an operationally ready and certifiable aircraft platform.
Widely recognized across the aerospace industry, Alexander has held senior engineering positions on multiple aircraft programs throughout his career. He previously led key engineering functions at Bombardier, served as Head of Flight Physics for the VX4 eVTOL programme at Vertical Aerospace, and most recently worked as Electric Aircraft Integrator at CAE, where he led the battery-electric conversion of the Piper Archer training aircraft.
Commenting on his appointment, Alexander said he was excited to join Horizon Aircraft and contribute to the development of an aircraft with practical real-world applications. He highlighted the Cavorite X7’s unique capability to combine vertical takeoff and landing through distributed electric propulsion with conventional forward flight, enabling extended-range operations to remote locations with limited infrastructure.
“The ability to take off and land vertically while transitioning to conventional flight creates significant operational flexibility and opens up a wide range of mission opportunities,” Alexander said.
Horizon Aircraft Co-Founder and CEO Brandon Robinson welcomed the appointment, describing Alexander as a highly respected engineering leader whose expertise in aircraft certification and development will play a key role in advancing the company’s hybrid-electric eVTOL programme.
“Richard’s appointment brings exceptional engineering leadership and certification expertise to Horizon Aircraft,” Robinson said. “His experience will be instrumental in accelerating the development and certification of the Cavorite X7 and strengthening our path toward commercialization.”
The appointment comes as Horizon Aircraft continues to advance the Cavorite X7 programme, positioning the hybrid-electric eVTOL as a practical solution for regional mobility, emergency services, and operations in areas with limited aviation infrastructure.
