Supernal, an advanced air mobility (AAM) subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Group spun out in 2021, on Tuesday unveiled its S-A2 vehicle concept at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2024 in Las Vegas, marking its entry into the eVTOL industry in earnest. The five-seat vehicle is built for a pilot and four passengers to fly on zero-emission air taxi routes in cities such as Los Angeles and Miami, as early as 2028.

Supernal said its air taxi services will emphasize safety and affordability, envisioning routine passenger travel over the congested streets of urban metropolises. Initially, the eVTOL will fly 25 to 40 sm (about 22 to 35 nm) trips, cruising at 120 mph (104 knots) at around 1,500 feet agl.

Before taking to U.S. skies, Supernal said S-A2 will achieve “commercial aviation safety levels” via FAA type certification, a process the firm expects to begin in 2026, per its website. Electric air taxi designs expected to hit the market in 2025 are about one year into that phase.

“By leveraging our talented 600-person team, the vast technical and business capabilities of Hyundai Motor Group, and trusted aviation suppliers around the world, Supernal is ready to deliver a new era of flight,” said Jaiwon Shin, president of Hyundai Motor Group and CEO of Supernal.

The large team—comparable to companies that have occupied the eVTOL space for years—will compete with the likes of Archer Aviation, Joby Aviation, and Boeing-owned Wisk Aero, all of which are backed at least in part by major airlines or aircraft OEMs. Supernal itself is working with a combined $1.2 trillion, funneled through its parent company’s other brands: Hyundai, Kia, and Hyundai Mobis.

The company also intends to work with Hyundai to develop an affordable manufacturing process for the air taxi, leveraging the prolific automaker’s web of engineering assets.

The Specs

According to Supernal, the main design considerations for S-A2 were safety, sustainability, and passenger comfort. The aircraft builds on the company’s S-A1 “vision concept”—an early prototype displayed at CES 2020. But a few key differences stand out.

The new concept retains the distributed electric propulsion system of its predecessor but doubles the number of tilting rotors from four to eight. Four propellers on the trailing edge of the nearly 50-foot wing tilt down to produce lift for vertical flight, while four on the leading edge tilt up.

Each tilt rotor will power the air taxi across all phases of flight, from vertical lift to horizontal cruise. According to Supernal, S-A2 will initially operate “as quietly as a dishwasher,” producing 60 dB of noise during vertical takeoff and landing and just 45 dB in cruise.

The S-A1, by contrast, paired four tilt propellers with four sets of stacked co-rotating propellers, using only the latter for vertical flight. The configuration was similar to the latest designs from Archer, Wisk, and U.K.-based Vertical Aerospace. Some observers have noted similarities between S-A2 and Archer’s Midnight prototype, which rolled out in March 2023 and took flight in October.

Supernal’s “robust” new airframe, measuring about 33 feet, also preserves the unusual V-tail design of S-A1. The V-tail replaces traditional vertical and horizontal tail control surfaces with a V-shaped “ruddervator,” which combines the functions of a rudder and elevator. 

Proponents of the V-tail claim it can reduce drag. Detractors dispute this and point to disadvantages in control and structural efficiency, arguing the design is useful only in special cases. Examples of V-tail aircraft include certain models of the Beechcraft Bonanza and Cirrus Vision Jet SF50.

The S-A2 airframe also includes redundant components in its powertrain, flight controls, avionics, and other critical systems. Should a rotor fail, for example, others can pick up the slack.

Supernal said the air taxi’s “clean, minimalist” aesthetic was influenced by automotive designs. Working with Hyundai engineers—who have spent years designing electric vehicles and “smart cars”—the manufacturer worked to blend style with functionality. The goal was to make the aircraft attractive to operators and passengers.

“S-A2 is a true representation of ‘auto meets aero,’” said Luc Donckerwolke, president, chief design officer, and chief creative officer of Hyundai Motor Group. “Drawing on the competence of Supernal’s top aerospace engineers and Hyundai Motor Group’s world-renowned automotive designers to create human-centric design that maximizes passenger experience and safety.”

Light changes between different phases of flight, for example, provide both aesthetic appeal and visual cues for passengers, Supernal said. Both the cockpit and fuselage are encircled by glass windows to give pilots and passengers panoramic views, with the potential side effect of added weight.

As it advances toward certification, production, and the addition of new use cases for S-A2, Supernal will also look to add flexibility. The ability to reconfigure the cabin for passengers or cargo or upgrade the battery module as the design improves, for example, may be on the horizon.

“S-A2 is designed to take full advantage of emerging electric powertrain advancements that will define the next generation of aviation,” said Ben Diachun, chief technology officer at Supernal. “From here, we will develop this concept into a revolutionary commercial product.”

The Flight Plan

Supernal’s S-A2 is on display at the company’s vertiport exhibit at CES 2024 until Friday. There, attendees can take a simulated flight over Los Angeles in a nod to what may be the company’s first commercial market. 

In 2022, it partnered with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to work with the city on exploring the feasibility of air taxi services there. That includes the development of key infrastructure, such as vertiports. Last year, Supernal opened an engineering headquarters and research and development facility outside the city.

Vertiports, for which the FAA released initial standards in 2022, will be a crucial component of Supernal’s planned service. The sites are expected to operate much like heliports today, with the addition of electric charging infrastructure. Many will be installed at airports and other existing airfields.

“Quiet electric flight will enable vertiports to be in cities, at airports and elsewhere for seamless integration with existing transit options,” Supernal said in a news release. “Combined with air traffic control improvements and advanced micro-weather forecasting, S-A2 and vertiports will facilitate mobility far beyond what existing and projected ground infrastructure can deliver.”

According to its website, Supernal will begin full-scale flight tests of S-A2 this year. But the company is not in a rush to launch alongside the initial cohort of air taxi competitors—which are expected to include Archer, Joby, and others—in 2025.

In addition to Los Angeles, Supernal has an agreement with the city of Miami to bring electric air taxi services there in 2028. Beyond the U.S., the manufacturer recently partnered with Korean Air to launch operations in South Korea.

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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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That was the reaction of many throughout the aviation community Thursday when President Joe Biden officially nominated the former FAA deputy administrator with more than 30 years of aviation management experience as the agency’s top official. 

The FAA has been without an administrator since March 2022, when Steve Dickson resigned.

• FAA Administrator Steve Dickson Resigns, Cites Family Pressures

After weeks of rumor, the Biden Administration announced Thursday that Whitaker, who is currently the chief operating officer of Supernal, a company designing an electric advanced air mobility (AAM) vehicle, had been officially nominated to serve as FAA administrator.

“Whitaker served as Deputy Administrator at the FAA from 2013–2016. There, he brought industry and government together to drive the successful transition of the nation’s air traffic control system from radar to a satellite-enabled surveillance technology (ABS-B),” the White House said in a statement. “Prior to Supernal and his tenure at the FAA, Whitaker served as Group CEO of InterGlobe Enterprises, India’s largest travel conglomerate and operator of its largest and most successful airline, IndiGo.” 

He also spent 15 years in management at United Airlines.

“His broad portfolio at the airline included commercial alliances and joint ventures, international and regulatory affairs, and strategic counsel to the Chairman and CEO on international matters,” the White House said. “He is a private pilot and holds a juris doctorate degree from Georgetown University Law Center. He serves on the board of the Flight Safety Foundation, a nonprofit that promotes aviation safety globally.”

Biden’s former nominee, Phil Washington, withdrew his name in late March after failing to receive a committee hearing for eight months as several lawmakers raised concerns about his lack of aviation experience.

• READ MORE: Phil Washington Withdraws Nomination for FAA Administrator

“The FAA, the civil aviation industry, and the American flying-public deserve a leader with experience in managing large organizations and an aviation background to develop an aviation system that is safer, more efficient and technologically advanced,” Pete Bunce, General Aviation Manufacturers Association president and CEO, said in a statement Thursday morning.

“Having worked with Mr. Whitaker in his previous role as FAA Deputy Administrator, we are confident that his intimate knowledge of how the agency functions and interfaces with the Department of Transportation, Congress, and the industry will improve his ability to navigate the challenges now facing the FAA,” Bunce added.

Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) leadership called on the Senate to confirm Whitaker as soon as possible.

“The aviation industry has had a significant need for a permanent leader for more than a year, and I am happy that Michael has been nominated for the role,” AOPA president Mark Baker said in a statement. “Our close collaboration during his time as deputy administrator gave us the unmistakable sense that Michael knows aviation, he understands how the FAA operates, and he appreciates GA’s needs as a private pilot.” 

Whitaker’s experience with NextGen airspace modernization will be “essential” in leading the agency in the days ahead, according to James Viola, Helicopter Association International president and CEO.

“Vertical aviation is leading the future with advanced helicopter technology, electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) operations, and continued innovation across the vertical flight sector,” Viola said. “As our industry moves forward, it is critical that the United States has strong leadership at the FAA to provide global regulatory guidance while continuing to set the gold standard in safety.”

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As has been rumored for months, Politico is reporting President Joe Biden will nominate FAA and industry veteran Mike Whitaker as the agency’s next administrator on Thursday (Sept. 7). 

• READ MORE: Reports: New FAA Administrator Nomination Expected Soon

Whitaker’s name first came up in May, a couple of months after the former nominee Phil Washington withdrew following a rough ride in the Senate confirmation process. Washington, the CEO of Denver International Airport, was criticized on both sides of the aisle for his lack of direct aviation experience and was also tainted by indirect involvement in a corruption scandal in Los Angeles, where he ran the transit system. 

Whitaker spent 15 years at United Airlines before becoming the FAA’s deputy administrator in 2013. He oversaw the NextGen ATC modernization while in that post and left for the private sector in 2016. He is currently the chief operating officer of Supernal, an advanced air mobility company.

• READ MORE: Phil Washington Withdraws Nomination for FAA Administrator

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Unveiled for the first time Tuesday at the U.K.’s Farnborough International Airshow, the cabin “draws on the competence of the Hyundai Motor Group and the skillset of experienced automotive designers,” said Luc Donckerwolke, chief creative officer of Hyundai Motor Group in a released statement. To create the concept, designers leveraged more than 50 Hyundai affiliate companies, including automobiles, automotive parts, construction, robotics, and autonomous driving technology, according to Supernal. 

Take a look at the passenger cabin experience envisioned by Supernal for short, intra-city air taxi flights, taking off and landing from specialized vertiports.

The post First Look: Supernal’s Air Taxi Passenger Cabin appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Urban-Air Port, a U.K.-based ground infrastructure developer, demonstrated the world’s first fully operational eVTOL hub in cooperation with Hyundai Motor Group’s urban air mobility division, Supernal.

Welcome to #AirOne–the world’s first fully operational @UrbanAirPort for electric air vehicles. We’re in Coventry, U.K. with our initial concept vehicle for the grand opening.

Follow us for live coverage from the event this week!#AdvancedAirMobility #eVTOL #UrbanAirMobility pic.twitter.com/2dBsXL74Xe

— Supernal (@Supernal_aero) April 25, 2022

With support from the U.K. government, Air-One will operate for at least one month and will serve as a “blueprint” for more than 200 planned vertiports during the next five years. According to Urban-Air Port, the advanced air mobility (AAM) market is forecasted to grow 9 percent annually, eventually reaching $1 trillion within the next 20 years.

“The opening of Air-One is a momentous moment—the starting gun for a new age of transport, an age of zero-emission, congestion-free travel between and within cities that will make people healthier, happier and more connected than ever before. Cars have roads. Trains have rails. Planes have airports. Now, eVTOLs have an Urban-Air Port,” said Urban-Air Port Founder Ricky Sandhu.

According to Urban-Air Port, multiple international locations are already on the company’s order book for additional sites, such as Australia, South Korea, Germany, and the United States. Supernal is also expected to grow internationally, announcing efforts to bring air taxi services to Miami as soon as 2028.

Air-One will be home to several eVTOL operations, including aircraft command and control, cargo loading for unmanned drones, and demonstration flights. The vertiport will also serve as a charging hub for other modes of electric transportation.

“Air-One serves as a valuable, tangible asset to help build stakeholder confidence and trust in emerging mobility technology and supporting systems,” said Supernal Chief Commercial Officer Mike Whitaker. “The Coventry demonstration is an important first step forward to reimagining how people across the world will move, connect and live.” 

“Developing a scalable system to support advanced air mobility operations requires collaboration from all industries and corners of the world. Supernal’s support of Urban-Air Port reinforces our belief in fusing technology and innovation to enable humanity and society to reach new levels of potential.”

Tickets for public tours of the Air-One vertiport are now available at the company’s website.

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The memorandum of understanding (MOU) creates a framework for industry and community stakeholders to collaborate on policies that would foster an air taxi service. 

Artist’s renderings of Supernal’s concept electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxi show what appears to be a tilt-rotor propulsion design. The company intends to develop a test article and earn all necessary regulatory approvals and certifications in time for it to enter service within six years. 

Supernal’s concept eVTOL would seat four to five passengers with a mission to fly short, intra-city hops, taking off and landing from specialized vertiports. 

Jumping into the advanced air mobility (AAM) game in 2021, Supernal is one of dozens of eVTOL developers looking to build zero-emissions, low-noise air taxis for short hops over traffic-clogged cities.

Like many of its competitors, Supernal plans to manufacture air taxis as well as operate an app-based rideshare service—a vertical business model that experts say requires huge amounts of capital. 

• READ MORE: The Top Four Issues Facing the Future of eVTOLs

The company has said it wants to create a “seamless, end-to-end passenger experience” with “access to traditionally underserved and remote locations.”

Supernal’s eVTOL competitor Joby Aviation (NYSE: JOBY) has said it also intends to establish operations in Miami, once its air taxi is developed. Another eVTOL rival currently developing an air taxi, Archer Aviation (NYSE: ACHR), has committed to launching there in 2024. 

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