UrbanLink Air Mobility, a newly formed operator of advanced air mobility (AAM) aircraft that in May agreed to purchase and operate 20 Lilium Jets, on Monday partnered with Ferrovial Vertiports to build a network of takeoff and landing hubs in South Florida and Southern California, including Los Angeles. The partners plan to add more locations to the network.

While not explicitly named in the agreement, Lilium in 2021 enlisted Ferrovial, the parent company of Ferrovial Vertiports, to build at least 10 vertiports covering “all major cities across Florida.” UrbanLink intends to launch initial eVTOL routes using the Lilium Jet by summer 2026, one year later than the planned U.S. debuts of eVTOL air taxi companies Archer Aviation and Joby Aviation.

“This partnership is a critical step in accelerating the deployment of our Lilium Jets and enhancing connectivity in the U.S., bringing us one step closer to making AAM a reality,” said UrbanLink chairman Ed Wegel, who founded the company in May.

Wegel is also the founder and former CEO of Global Crossing Airlines, for which he currently serves as a board member, and recently founded a scheduled carrier startup, Zoom! Airlines, that will deploy Embraer E-Jets. He said Zoom! will “work closely” with UrbanLink to provide passenger connections.

For UrbanLink and Lilium to succeed, they will need to have the proper infrastructure in place. Vertiports are to eVTOLs what airports are to commercial airliners. Without them, the aircraft lack a place to take off, land, and charge.

The Lilium Jet is no exception. It uses 36 electric ducted fans embedded in its wings for vertical propulsion, which the company says greatly reduces noise. Compared to propeller-based eVTOL designs, the aircraft sacrifices efficiency during the takeoff and hover phase in exchange for more efficient cruising on its fixed wings.

The manufacturer’s flagship model is designed for a pilot and up to six passengers, cruising at 162 knots on trips between towns and inner cities spanning 25 to 125 sm (22 to 109 nm).

UrbanLink and Ferrovial Vertiports will collaborate on vertiport site selection, facility design, and planning for future Lilium Jet operations, beginning with the manufacturer’s planned South Florida network. In February, Lilium tapped Orlando International Airport (KMCO) to be the main hub in that system and is working with the airport to install a vertiport.

Fractional aircraft ownership firm NetJets is also part of the company’s South Florida plans, having signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in 2022 for the purchase of up to 150 jets. Houston-based Bristow Group will provide maintenance services, and FlightSafety International has agreed to train eVTOL pilots for the company.

Outside Florida, UrbanLink and Ferrovial view Los Angeles and the broader Southern California region as the next potential market for the Lilium Jet.

Notably, Ferrovial Vertiports locations are intended to be accessible to any eVTOL design, meaning UrbanLink—or another operator—could one day use them to host multiple aircraft models.

“Our focus is on ensuring that an agnostic vertiport network is in place for operators like UrbanLink when eVTOLs gain certification,” said Kevin Cox, CEO of Ferrovial Vertiports.

On that front, Lilium hopes to achieve European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) type certification as a Part 21 commercial aircraft in 2025. The aircraft has already received its certification basis, and Lilium in November became one of the first eVTOL manufacturers to receive EASA design organization approval (DOA), a required step for companies developing commercial designs.

The company is also the only eVTOL manufacturer to hold type certification bases from both EASA and the FAA. It hopes to leverage that status by activating the Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement between the two regulators.

UrbanLink, meanwhile, claims it will be the first U.S. airline to integrate eVTOL aircraft into its fleet. eVTOL air taxi firms Archer and Joby have partnerships with United Airlines and Delta Air Lines, respectively. Archer will operate its flagship Midnight model on behalf of United through its Part 135 subsidiary, Archer Air, while Joby will operate its aircraft through Delta’s channels.

In addition, Lilium will work with FBO network Atlantic Aviation to electrify its network of more than 100 terminals. According to the manufacturer, Atlantic operates FBOs at 30 airports across South Florida, Texas, Southern California, and the Northeast Corridor, which comprise its planned U.S. launch markets. The partners will build eVTOL infrastructure at existing and future locations.

Atlantic is also collaborating with Archer, Joby, and another U.S. eVTOL manufacturer, Beta Technologies.

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“This is a transformative time for Signature, and our partnership with Neste is helping us take another significant step towards net zero by providing a 100 percent supply of blended SAF at our Los Angeles location,” said Derek DeCross, chief commercial officer at Signature Aviation. “This collaboration exemplifies how we’re working together with both our guests and our partners to accelerate the adoption of environmentally friendly practices and paving the way for a more sustainable future in aviation.”

• READ MORE: Boeing Ready to Buy 7.5 Million Gallons of SAF

The blended SAF offering provided by Signature at its LAX location includes 30 percent of Neste MY SAF and 70 percent conventional jet fuel, enabling partners to achieve a 24 percent decrease in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from air travel. SAF is approved for use blended up to 50 percent with conventional jet fuel.

Neste’s SAF is made from sustainably sourced, 100 percent renewable waste and residue raw materials, such as used cooking oil and animal fat waste. 

Signature and Neste have been in a partnership since 2020 designed to help accelerate the industry’s adoption of SAF. Signature plans to expand the availability of Neste MY SAF to the rest of its California locations. Neste is expanding its SAF production capability to 515 million gallons of SAF annually in 2024 to meet the growing demand.

Signature said it recently passed the 30 million-gallon mark in terms of total SAF delivered throughout its network, describing it as a substantial leap toward reducing carbon emissions and helping the aviation industry reach net zero by 2050.

• READ MORE: Business Aviation Industry Groups Aim to Speed Adoption of SAF

“We are proud to continue expanding our collaboration with committed partners like Signature Aviation, who recognize the key role sustainable aviation fuel can play in reducing GHG emissions from air travel,” said Carrie Song, senior vice president of commercial renewable products at Neste. “Offering blended Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel to all of its customers at LAX is a shining example of how the business aviation community can work together with fuel producers to accelerate SAF adoption and emission reductions.”

The transition to SAF at KLAX was completed on April 1. It is the second location on the West Coast to offer the more environmentally friendly fuel. The first Signature location to provide SAF was San Francisco International Airport (KSFO).

In addition, the growth in SAF availability at Signature LAX will also expand the location’s role as a key component in Signature’s book-and-claim program. Under the program, travelers and operators are able to purchase SAF in areas where it isn’t physically available.

“When an operator utilizes book and claim, they are able to claim the environmental benefit, while the physical SAF is provided for different aircraft at Signature LAX,” Signature said.

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The awards—produced to benefit the Kiddie Hawk Air Academy—were established in 2003 to honor “people who have made significant contributions to aviation, including entrepreneurs, innovators, industry leaders, astronauts, record breakers, pilots who have become celebrities and celebrities who have become pilots,” according to a release.

Gulfstream’s Mark Burns

Industry leader Burns—a 40-plus-year veteran of Gulfstream—joined the company in 1983 as a CAD operator and worked in several areas, including engineering and customer support, prior to his promotion to president in July 2015. Gulfstream sits on the cusp of FAA type certification on the G700 and G800, pending the completion of the process by the agency. Burns, a Savannah, Georgia, native, also serves as a vice president for parent company General Dynamics.

Burns was honored with the Lifetime Aviation Industry Award.

FLYING’s Fred George

George began his connection with aviation in his earliest years, when his father—a naval officer and private pilot—sat him in the back of a BT-13 Vultee on his mother’s lap for a flight around the San Fernando Valley in California. That sparked a life with his eyes pointed toward the skies. After graduating from UCLA, George became a Naval aviator in 1971, flying the F-4 Phantom and making more than 300 carrier landings. He flew corporate after leaving the Navy and turned to aviation journalism in the 1980s—a path he continues to pursue with his contributions (again) to FLYING Magazine as its senior business aviation editor. Over the past 40 years, he’s flown and reported on more than 230 different aircraft.

George was honored as a 2024 inductee into Living Legends of Aviation.

• READ MORE: Living Legends of Aviation

Other Honorees

Noted for their contributions to the industry and greater good of aviation, the following people were also feted at the event:

• Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, 2024 inductee
• Steve Hinton, 2024 inductee
• Marc Parent, 2024 inductee
• Laurans Mendelson, Kenn Ricci Lifetime Aviation Entrepreneur Award
• Kyle Clark, Eren Ozman Aviation Entrepreneur of the Year Award
• Linden Blue, Dr. Sam B. Williams Technology Award
• Lance Toland, Freedom of Flight Award
• Lauren Sánchez, Elling Halvorson Vertical Flight Hall of Fame Award

The post Gulfstream’s Mark Burns, <i>FLYING’s</i> Fred George Inducted Into Living Legends of Aviation appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

And it just got longer.

Santa Ana, California-based Overair is the latest such firm to put down roots in South Korea. The manufacturer of the Butterfly eVTOL—along with strategic collaborator Hanwha Systems, one of its largest investors—signed a trio of agreements with Korean partners during this week’s International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition (ADEX) in Seoul.

The agreements call for the delivery of 20 aircraft to a local helicopter operator, the creation of a nationwide advanced air mobility (AAM) network, and—perhaps most interestingly—the provision of aircraft and training for the Korean National Police (KNP).

“Overair is a company with global ambitions,” said Overair CEO Ben Tigner. “Announcing these agreements at Seoul ADEX2023 not only shows the importance of these partnerships in Korea but also exemplifies our commitment to supporting all aspects of AAM worldwide.”

What’s Being Delivered?

A letter of intent (LOI) between Overair and helicopter transportation company HeliKorea calls for the purchase of 20 Butterfly eVTOLs. The Korean firm will integrate the aircraft into its business to enable medical, executive, and cargo transport, as well as other use cases such as firefighting and inspections of infrastructure, such as high-voltage power lines. Overair will provide pilot and maintenance training.

The company’s six-seat eVTOL is designed to carry five passengers and a pilot, or 1,100 pounds of cargo. The final production model is expected to have a 100 sm (87 nm) range and a 200 mph (174 knots) top speed. Butterfly’s cabin is adaptable for a variety of use cases. In addition to those listed above, Overair also plans to use it for on-demand ridesharing, critical patient and organ transport, military missions, and other applications.

According to the company, a trip between Santa Ana’s John Wayne Airport (KSNA) and Los Angeles International Airport (KLAX)—a distance of 43 sm (37 nm)—is expected to take just 18 minutes with Butterfly’s 180 mph (156 knots) cruise speed. Driving between the two airfields would take closer to 70 minutes by Overair’s estimate.

The aircraft’s propulsion system was developed with the expertise of Abe Karem, considered to be one of the pioneers of uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) technology. Boasting what may be the coolest nickname in the aviation industry—“the dronefather”—Karem is widely recognized for his contribution in developing the MQ-1 Predator drone for General Atomics, which laid the foundation for the advanced UAVs deployed by the U.S. military today.

After departing General Atomics, Karem spent decades working on U.S. military VTOL programs with his company, Frontier Systems, that was later acquired by Boeing. His team led the development of what became Boeing’s A160 Hummingbird UAV, breaking numerous altitude and endurance records in the process while keeping noise to a minimum. The propulsion systems aboard the Hummingbird represent the early stages of Butterfly’s architecture.

The aviation pioneer founded Karem Aircraft in 2004, spinning out Overair in 2020 and joining the new company as its principal designer. Karem’s largest contribution to Butterfly is the TR-36 Optimum Tilt Speed Rotor, which was evaluated by the U.S. Army’s Future Vertical Lift program as a component for the next generation of rotorcraft that will replace Army helicopters.

Butterfly’s four TR-36 rotors—each with massive, 20-plus-foot propellers—spin slowly during hover and even slower during cruise. Each blade is controlled individually and precisely by a proprietary system. Since the slow-spinning propellers draw from only a fraction of the aircraft;s motor power, Overair says they increase payload capacity and excess power margins.

The company claims its propulsion system gives Butterfly the broadest flight envelope and smallest sound footprint (55 dBA, by its estimate) of any eVTOL under development. It also describes the aircraft as having the “broadest capability of any eVTOL” to fly in weather conditions such as rain and wind, a common limitation of other designs.

Butterfly relies on fly-by-wire envelope protection for safety and can hover on two of its four propellers with the help of its “quad-redundant” architecture.

Korean Police Get an Eye in the Sky

Also this week, Overair signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Korean construction company Daewoo E&C. The agreement establishes a plan for the firms to jointly develop a series of AAM networks across Southeast Asian markets. 

The partners will develop and implement an AAM concept of operations, pick out local operators and vertiport sites, create urban air traffic management (UATM) systems, and work with local aviation and government authorities to develop a regulatory framework for commercial service in the region. Daewoo will build the vertiports, while Overair will provide operational and integration expertise.

But the most interesting of Overair’s three announcements is perhaps the MOU it signed with the KNP. As some U.S. law enforcement agencies crack down on their use of drones, the agreement aims to give Korean police access to a much larger UAV.

The KNP’s Human Resources Development Institute will develop training programs for its officers, which will in part be led by Overair. Topics covered will include vertiport development and integration, pilot training, AAM deployment, maintenance, and more.

Should the agreement come to fruition, Korean law enforcement could use Butterfly for rapid response or dispatch, allowing it to bypass the busy streets below. For example, Jump Aero, a U.S. firm developing an eVTOL for first responders, estimates its aircraft could fly anywhere within a 31-mile radius in as little as eight minutes.

Overair partner Hanwha will provide operational support for all three agreements made this week. It will also lend its technology—which includes air travel infrastructure, communication, surveillance, software management, and other systems—to certify UATM services in Korea and ensure safe operations.

“Overair is committed to supporting South Korea’s strong AAM ambitions through partnerships like these that ensure all facets of the ecosystem are considered,” said Tigner. “Local governments, operators, and infrastructure providers alike will play an integral role as we enter this new era of transportation. We look forward to collaborating with our partners at Hanwha Systems on these exciting new projects.”

Other Plans for Butterfly

This week’s trio of partnerships comes on the heels of an MOU between Overair, Hanwha, and Korea’s Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, signed last week, to bring an AAM ecosystem to Jeju Island. The island is South Korea’s largest and a major tourist destination.

The partners will jointly develop AAM infrastructure, manufacturing, training, maintenance and repair organizations (MRO), and other aspects of the network. It will support public, medical, and tourism operations on the island, helping it reach its commitment to be carbon neutral by 2030.

Elsewhere, Overair hopes to certify Butterfly with the FAA and is working through its G-1 Stage 3 means of compliance, which will establish the criteria for validating its certification basis. Full-scale Butterfly prototype flight testing will begin next year. A collaboration between the FAA and the Korea Office of Civil Aviation (KOCA), meanwhile, aims to harmonize AAM certification and integration between the two nations, creating a path to certifying Butterfly in South Korea.

Following certification, Overair will launch in Korea as well as the U.S. in partnership with Houston-based Bristow Group. An agreement between the two includes a preorder for 20 to 50 aircraft. The firms will also develop commercialization plans and an operational framework, with an eye on flying commercial air taxi routes in Bristow service areas.

In addition, Overair, among other eVTOL manufacturers, is working with Urban Movement Labs, a Los Angeles government-community transportation partnership, to enable AAM infrastructure and operations in the area. It plans to launch there in the future and will highlight Butterfly during the city’s 2028 Olympic Games, alongside other players.

The L.A. Olympics are viewed by many eVTOL manufacturers as a key deadline for air taxi services at scale, in line with the FAA’s Innovate28 plan for early AAM operations in U.S. cities. Several of them are eyeing the City of Angels as a potential launch market.

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Electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft manufacturer Wisk Aero, a subsidiary of Boeing, on Monday said it became the first in the industry to conduct public demonstration flights of an electric air taxi in Los Angeles County.

Wisk landed in the City of Angels earlier this month, beginning private flight testing out of Long Beach Airport (KLGB) with its fifth-generation eVTOL, also known as Cora. The tests allowed the firm to evaluate autonomous flight operations in a real-world commercial environment, right beside other passenger aircraft.

The flight program was capped off with a public, multitransition demonstration during the airport’s Festival of Flight on Saturday. The one-day event was free and open to the public.

“I am proud to see the future of flight becoming a reality in Long Beach,” said Rex Richardson, the city’s mayor. “Long Beach has been a leader in aviation for decades, and those careers helped build and sustain the middle class here for generations. I am looking forward to working with Wisk and Boeing to create good jobs and integrating a safe, quiet, and environmentally responsible transportation option in Long Beach.”

Unlike its core rivals (with the exception of China’s EHang), Wisk is looking to fly without onboard pilots from the jump, instead relying upon a combination of autonomy and human oversight. It’s also the exclusive provider of autonomy technology for Archer Aviation following the settlement of a prolonged legal battle between the two manufacturers.

As part of that agreement, Boeing contributed to a $215 million investment in Archer, which also included partners Stellantis and United Airlines.

Per Monday’s announcement, Wisk has now completed more than 1,700 test flights. Those include another public demonstration of Cora at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, which the company said was the world’s first for an autonomous, fixed-wing eVTOL. EHang in 2020 made a public flight in South Korea, but its EH216-S is not a fixed-wing design.

Wisk also displayed its four-seat Gen 6 design for VIPs on Capitol Hill during the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Global Aerospace Summit in Washington, D.C., last month. But it did not take flight.

Over the weekend, company representatives met with Mayor Richardson, Los Angeles area officials, and leadership from Boeing—which became Wisk’s sole owner in June—to discuss the future of advanced air mobility (AAM) services in the area.

“Autonomous flight is possible today, and it’s happening now in LA,” said Brian Yutko, CEO of Wisk. “Los Angeles is a target launch city for many in our industry and we are extremely proud to be the first air taxi company to fly in LA—and to have done so with an autonomous aircraft. We are fortunate to have the partnership and support of Boeing throughout the area to help build relationships and advance our mission.”

A Crowded Market?

Though it will not necessarily launch in Los Angeles, Wisk in 2022 formed an alliance with the Long Beach Economic Partnership (LBEP) to evaluate how autonomous electric air taxis, expected to be part of a broader regional network, might impact the local economy.

The partners are also assessing local residents’ willingness to use eVTOL aircraft for short-hop flights over the city’s congested streets. One of the most traffic-heavy metros in North America, Los Angeles is quickly becoming a hot spot for electric air taxis, with Archer, Germany’s Volocopter, and Hyundai subsidiary Supernal all having worked with Urban Movement Labs—an LA government-community transportation partnership—for several years. A fourth firm, Overair, signed a deal with UML in 2022.

By the time Los Angeles hosts the 2028 Olympic Games, the FAA hopes to have enabled U.S. AAM operations at scale, as laid out in its Innovate28 plan. The city itself also anticipates robust operations by then—Joby Aviation, in partnership with Delta Airlines, is expected to be one of the early entrants.

Supernal is also eyeing the LA market, and competition could heat up further with the potential entry of Archer and United. A partnership between the two calls for the airline’s acquisition of up to 200 Midnight eVTOLs to fly passengers to United hub airports—Los Angeles International Airport (KLAX) is one of them.

California in general is something of a hub for eVTOL firms, with Wisk (Mountain View), Joby (Santa Cruz), and Archer (San Jose) all setting up headquarters in the Bay Area. Overair is based in the Los Angeles suburb of Santa Ana with flight testing facilities in nearby Victorville. Supernal, based in D.C., has a research and development facility in nearby Fremont, as well as an engineering headquarters close to Los Angeles in Irvine. Both Joby and Archer have conducted flight testing in the state for years.

In addition, Joby, Overair and several of the aforementioned manufacturers played a pivotal role in the formation of a dedicated AAM advisory committee for the state with the passage of California SB 800, which was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom earlier this month. Many of them expect to fly during the 2028 Olympic Games.

Why Los Angeles?

Wisk recently sponsored research, conducted by California State University at Long Beach, which found that the operation of a 20-vertiport network spanning the Greater Los Angeles-Orange County area could generate $2 million in economic output for every $1 million of initial expenditure. 

More specifically, researchers estimated such a network would create 943 jobs, deliver more than $90 million in labor income, and generate about $173 million in expenditures annually. Construction of the network alone could add more than 2,100 jobs and churn out more than $420 million in economic output, they approximated.

Supernal, meanwhile, is working with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory—within the U.S. Department of Energy—to explore the feasibility, challenges, and opportunities for AAM operations in the Los Angeles area, including the necessary infrastructure.

Besides the potential economic impact and the opportunity to eliminate traffic, LA is viewed by many manufacturers as a promising market for eVTOL aircraft for several reasons.

The city regularly scores an “F” in regard to managing air pollution, which zero-emissions vehicles such as eVTOL aircraft could mitigate. Weather conditions—often clear and sunny outside of the “June Gloom” period each summer—are also ideal for initial AAM operations. And historically, California has been a bastion for environmentally friendly tech, which could raise consumer confidence in the novel aircraft.

Los Angeles may also have a leg up on other U.S. cities when it comes to AAM infrastructure. A 2021 Georgia Tech University survey, published by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, suggested six local airports (including Long Beach Airport and LAX) as potential waypoints for eVTOL passengers.

Additionally, infrastructure in downtown Los Angeles, such as rooftops, “could potentially be converted to vertiports,” the survey noted. Archer and Joby in 2021 each announced Los Angeles as a launch city for their respective vertiport networks. Both are working with parking garage operator Reef to convert parking garage roofs into eVTOL landing pads.

Wisk, too, will need to construct its own vertiports, enlist a partner to build them, or form agreements with airports or FBOs to allow vertical takeoffs and landings. The Boeing subsidiary does not have a firm commercial launch date but has said its Gen 6 model will enter service before the end of the decade.

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If things go well as the service rolls out, Delta said the total investment could expand up to $200 million.

“We’ve found in Joby a partner that shares our pioneering spirit and commitment to delivering innovative, seamless experiences that are better for our customers, their journeys, and our world,” Delta CEO Ed Bastian said in a statement.

Beginning in New York and Los Angeles, Delta and Joby plan to integrate Joby’s services as a premium shuttle service to and from airports where Delta operates. This will run alongside Joby’s planned airport services, making the partnership mutually exclusive in the U.S. and the U.K. for half a decade after Joby’s commercial launch.

We’ve partnered with @Delta – the world's leading airline – to deliver a seamless, differentiated experience for Delta customers traveling to and from the airport, alongside our standard airport service. [1/2] pic.twitter.com/5g1WKnY0tX

— Joby Aviation (@jobyaviation) October 11, 2022

Joby’s pre-production prototype is propelled by six tilt-rotors and battery-powered electric motors. It’s designed to carry a pilot and four passengers at speeds of up to 200 mph (174 kts), with a maximum range of 150 sm on a single charge. 

Joby says the aircraft has flown more than 1,000 test flights, and that it was the first eVTOL company to be granted a G-1 (Stage 4) Certification Basis for its aircraft by the FAA. More recently, Joby has already received its Part 135 certification from the FAA, based on traditional, piloted aircraft for the short term.

• READ MORE: Joby Receives FAA Part 135 Certification

Joby Founder and CEO JoeBen Bevirt said Joby shares “Delta’s unwavering commitment to delivering seamless and sustainable journeys to customers” and looked forward to working together.

Analysts Push Back on Joby’s Plan

The partnership with Delta is a significant win for Joby, which became a publicly traded company in 2021 by merging with a special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC, like some of its competitors, Lilium (NASDAQ: LILM), Archer (NYSE: ACHR), Vertical Aerospace (NYSE: EVTL), and Eve (NYSE: EVEX). Since then, as a broad trend, many companies listed on the stock market using the SPAC format have underperformed for various reasons. 

• READ MORE: Cracking the Code for eVTOL Batteries

In Joby’s case, a scathing report from a prominent hedge fund, Bleecker Street Capital, claimed that the eVTOL company’s plan to gain FAA certification by 2024 and immediately begin commercial services is “so grandiose it is hard to fathom.”

“With no revenue, one prototype plane, and promises of the future, Joby has some of the most egregious guidance of any SPAC we have seen,” the hedge fund pushed back, which also said Joby used these projections to secure partnerships with companies like Toyota and Uber.

Delta, FAA Vertiports, and Industry Officials Help Joby’s Case

With Delta coming on board, Joby may have been able to shift the narrative. In late September, the FAA also released new design guidelines for vertiports, the infrastructure that will support advanced air mobility (AAM) aircraft. 

“Our country is stepping into a new era of aviation,” said associate administrator for airports Shannetta Griffin. “These vertiport design standards provide the foundation needed to begin safely building infrastructure in this new era.” 

Separately, in that same week, a group of aviation business leaders testified before a U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, Operations, and Innovation, in which the group provided the lawmakers with critical updates about the progress of introducing new technologies into the national airspace system. 

At the time, NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen outlined the business aviation case for advanced air mobility. Bolen urged the FAA to do all it could not to hinder the certificate process but to ensure the eVTOL makers could meet their 2024 deadlines.

• READ MORE: Business Aviation Leaders Meet With Senators To Discuss Future Technologies

As for Delta, Bastian said, “This is a groundbreaking opportunity for Delta to deliver a time-saving, uniquely premium home-to-airport solution for customers in key markets we’ve been investing and innovating in for many years.”

The post Delta, Joby Aviation Partner to Launch Home-to-Airport eVTOL Shuttle appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Los Angeles is shaping up to become the first major battleground in the potentially lucrative air taxi market. Already, industry players such as Hyundai, Archer Aviation, and Volocopter have partnered with community leaders who are setting the table for electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. And while it’s not the only city, experts say L.A. is ideally positioned to be the proving ground for what could be a trillion-dollar industry by 2040.

All three companies have partnered with Urban Movement Labs (UML), a Los Angeles government-community transportation partnership.

“What we’re trying to do is just bring experts together to understand what the community needs, what the industry needs, what the government needs, what the city Department of Transportation needs in terms of information to make decisions about all this,” said UML’s Clint Harper, a U.S. Air Force veteran with 23 years of experience coordinating and managing in the aviation industry.

Stiff Competition

Here’s who’s staked a claim for L.A. so far:

Volocopter is the latest to announce its interest. This month, it began partnering with UML as it engages with community leaders about possible route locations, noise mitigation, and local jobs resulting from the new industry.

Last July in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, Volocopter made a big splash at the annual AirVenture airshow with a two-seat, 18-rotor eVTOL prototype dubbed Volocopter 2X. The brief flight demonstration was billed as the first publicly crewed eVTOL air taxi test flight in the United States.

Volocopter is developing three eVTOL models—for short routes around town, for suburb-to-city routes, and for transporting heavy-lift goods. Showing some swagger, the Germany-based company predicts it will offer air taxi service in Paris with its short-range VoloCity model during the 2024 Olympic Games—less than three years from now.

It’s worth mentioning that, after Paris, the next Summer Olympics will be held in Los Angeles in 2028.

However, in L.A., Volocopter will have to compete with Archer Aviation, among others.

“There are 50 million daily trips in L.A. on the ground, of which 5 million take longer than an hour to drive,” Archer co-CEO Adam Goldstein told FLYING. “So there’s an incredible amount of potential customers there that can be moved into the air. L.A. meets a lot of criteria that makes it super attractive.”

Archer also comes to L.A. with a potential leg up on its competition: It has the backing of a powerful and historic aviation brand.

United Airlines announced a $1 billion deal with Archer last February aimed at acquiring a fleet of up to 200 electric aircraft within five years to fly customers to United hub airports, including LAX.

Initial air taxi routes could connect LAX with smaller regional airports. Eventually they could include established heliports, and then, ultimately, to newly constructed “vertiports.”

“We think we’ll launch there with a pretty measured approach,” Goldstein said. “We’ll start on a point-to-point basis, one or two routes, then we’ll start to expand. We’re not going to just dump a bunch of planes into one city right away.”

The first flight for Archer’s two-seat demonstrator is expected by the end of this year. The company said its larger, commercial model will seat four passengers and enter service as soon as 2024. The design of the aircraft, dubbed Maker, includes a V-tail and 12 rotors attached to a single, fixed wing, mounted high on the fuselage.

Hyundai, which also is working with UML, reportedly is making progress on its own eVTOL. In June, the company COO told Reuters it could launch an air taxi service as soon as 2025.

Why L.A.?

Overall, the air taxi industry is designed to help solve two growing problems: climate change and urban traffic congestion—exacerbated by urban sprawl and aging infrastructure.

L.A. fits that profile, which helps explain why the city is shaping up to be a potential battleground for competing air taxi makers.

Proponents say small, electric, hovering aircraft will offer crosstown commuters a clean alternative to fossil fuel burning vehicles on the ground.

There are five big reasons why Los Angeles could be a defining market for eVTOL air taxi operations:

• Traffic: L.A. traffic has been among the worst in the U.S. for decades.
• Air pollution: Reducing L.A.’s infamous air pollution is important to local leaders.
• History: California traditionally leads the way on environmentally friendly technology.
• Weather: Southern California’s climate often creates ideal flying conditions.
• Infrastructure: The region has multiple airports available for takeoff and landing locations.

Speaking of airports, a recent Georgia Tech survey published by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics suggested six area airports as potential waypoints for eVTOL passengers:

• Los Angeles International (KLAX)
• Ontario International Airport (KONT)
• John Wayne Airport (KSNA)
• San Bernardino International Airport (KSBD)
• Hollywood Burbank Airport (KBUR)
• Long Beach Airport (KLGB)

Also, L.A. comes preloaded with existing infrastructure downtown that “could potentially be converted to vertiports,” according to the Georgia Tech survey. “From the 1970s until 2014, [L.A.] had regulations requiring buildings above a certain height to have a heliport on their roof to assist in evacuations.”

Hurdles Ahead

One of the major challenges facing the industry will be noise mitigation, specifically during takeoff and landing at vertiports. How loud will these aircraft be? Expectations are hard to measure at this point. Archer hasn’t provided a noise level for its aircraft while it hovers near ground level. Volocopter has reported a hover noise level of 65 decibels at a distance of 75 meters (246 feet).

Compare that with a Boeing 747, which creates more than 100 decibels during takeoff, measured at a distance of 2 miles, according to Volocopter.

As for establishing takeoff and landing sites, Archer has announced it’s already working toward launching a global vertiport network, starting with Los Angeles. Many of these landing pads would be located on rooftops of existing parking garages, the company says. “We need to make sure that we can move people through quickly, because the whole value proposition is saving people time,” Goldstein said. “Obviously, the number one thing that matters is safety. So we’ll work on that on a small scale and then scale our way into that over time.”

UML intends to work with communities surrounding these facilities to make sure their concerns are heard and addressed.

“The first phase of this is educational,” Harper said. “UML is trying to help stakeholders cut through the Jetsons and flying-car-fantasy information out there. It’s really about aviation. And with electric distributed propulsion technologies, we have an opportunity to not only integrate a new mode of transportation within the city but also improve an entire industry by solving some of these most pressing issues: noise, emissions and accessibility.”

UML has started a series of one-on-one interviews with community-based organizations, including groups interested in improving the commuting experience. They’re engaging with bus commuters, women and mothers, pedestrians and bicyclists, and other groups. “Some of those groups are actually among the more skeptical” about air taxis, said UML executive director Sam Morrissey.

Morrissey said these discussions touch on questions like:

• Who would be able to access air taxis?
• How will they impact people who live near vertiports?
• How could these facilities contribute to jobs and professional development?

Staff and Resources

UML also will be working with local leaders to make sure the city will have the staff and resources necessary to plan for what the eVTOL rollout will look like, Morrissey said. They’ll be discussing key questions such as: Do they have the right amount of people to review plans or to approve building and safety permits related to development?

The group will also be communicating with state and national groups such as the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), which manages airports at the state level, and federal entities such as NASA and the FAA.

“Because this is such a new field, we’re in a position to share lessons learned and maybe help influence what the federal guidelines will look like,” said Morrissey, who has more than 20 years of transportation planning and development experience in the region.

Harper said he expects Los Angelenos could see the first certified eVTOLs above their city by 2024. “That would likely be followed by a gradual scale-up to more widespread operations,” he said. “What that’s going to look like and how that infrastructure will look on the ground has yet to be determined.”

“We’re trying not to get too far ahead of ourselves,” he said. “We’re trying to move at the speed that the industry is moving.”

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