Aviation International News reports that Archer Aviation plans to launch electric air taxi services across the Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and Austin metropolitan areas. The proposed network would use Archer’s four-passenger Midnight eVTOL aircraft for flights lasting 10 to 20 minutes. The aircraft has yet to receive FAA type certification, and as the article notes, “Archer’s announcement did not say when the Texas air taxi services will start.”
Full Story (Aviation International News)
Tag: AAM
Archer Demonstrates Midnight eVTOL in San Francisco Bay Area Flights
AeroTime reports that Archer Aviation has completed a series of piloted demonstration flights over the San Francisco Bay Area using its Midnight electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. The flights, part of Archer’s “No Roads” tour, included operations at Oakland International Airport and tested the aircraft’s capabilities in increasingly complex airspace. As AeroTime notes, the tour aimed to demonstrate Midnight’s ability to operate in “an urban area with a busy air corridor,” highlighting the potential for electric air taxis to ease transportation congestion in major metropolitan areas.
Full Story (Aerotime)
Vertical Aerospace Opens Valo Assembly Centre, Eyes 1,000 Aircraft a Year
Aerospace Global News reports that Vertical Aerospace has opened its new Aircraft Assembly Centre at Cotswold Airport, where it will begin manufacturing its Valo production eVTOL. Visitors to the opening saw a full-scale Valo mock-up and “a full flight demonstration of the prototype VX4 in the bright Cotswold skies.” The facility is designed to support production of up to 1,000 aircraft annually.
Full Story (Aerospace Global News)
Video
Vertical Aerospace’s Aircraft Assembly Centre
Vertical Aerospace; YouTube
Advanced Air Mobility Integration into Multimodal Transportation Systems Virtual Collection Published
FROM THE INSTITUTE
AAM could expand passenger and cargo transportation through novel aircraft serving urban, suburban, and rural communities. Its success, however, will depend on effective multimodal integration with surface transportation, infrastructure, operators, and data systems to support seamless, reliable, accessible, and resilient door-to-door journeys. This virtual collection highlights the AIAA Journal of Air Transportation contributions and their aerospace-focused perspectives on integrating AAM into the broader multimodal transportation system.
PAL-V Reaches Key EASA Certification Milestone for Flying Car
Aerotime reports Dutch flying car developer PAL-V has moved another step closer to bringing its aircraft to market after receiving European Production Organization Approval (POA) from EASA. PAL-V called the certification a “significant step toward bringing certified FlyDrive mobility solutions to market” and says it is the first FlyDrive developer within Advanced Air Mobility to secure the approval, placing it “well ahead of both American and Chinese initiatives within the sector.”
Full Story (Aerotime)
AIAA Celebrates the eIPP Awards and AAM Progress
FROM THE INSTITUTE
The eVTOL Integration Pilot Program (eIPP) awardees, announced on 9 March, mark an incredible example of coalition building for the future of aerospace. AIAA wants to mark this occasion by noting how the technology fueling AAM has developed in recent years. The Institute supports the community in many ways as they explore how best to implement AAM operations and connecting multimodal transportation to novel aircraft use cases.
Wisk Aero Unveils Second Gen 6 Autonomous eVTOL Prototype
Aviation International News reports, “Wisk Aero has rolled out the second flight-test example of its sixth-generation autonomous eVTOL aircraft. The full-scale prototype, registered as N607WA, is expected to make its first flight in the coming weeks. The Boeing subsidiary said it remains on track to bring the pilotless, four-passenger electric air taxi into commercial service by 2030.”
Full Story (Aviation International)
Joby Aviation Demonstrates Electric Air Taxi Flights Over San Francisco Bay
AVWEB reports, “Joby Aviation has completed a series of demonstration flights across the San Francisco Bay Area, showcasing its electric air taxi in one of the nation’s most congested cities.” The “aircraft (N545JX) departed from Oakland International Airport, flew across the Bay toward the Golden Gate Bridge, and turned above the Marin Headlands.”
Full Story (AVWEB)
Joby Advances Toward Certification with First FAA-Conforming Flight Tests
Aviation News Daily reports, “Joby Aviation has officially commenced flight testing of its first FAA-conforming aircraft, marking a critical advancement toward Type Inspection Authorization (TIA)and commercial passenger service. This development coincides with a major White House-backed initiative that allows mature eVTOL designs to begin early operations across the United States this year.”
Full Story (Aviation News Daily)
Uber, Joby Aviation Unveil ‘Uber Air’ eVTOL Service Ahead of 2026 Launch
Flying Magazine reports, “Uber as soon as this year will add a quiet, all-electric, aerial complement to its ground-based ride-hailing platform. Uber and Joby Aviation on Thursday unveiled ‘Uber Air’—a new, on-demand service using Joby’s four-passenger, electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxi. Joby said it expects to carry its first passengers later this year in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, where the partners shared a first look at Uber Air during a product and flight demonstration.”
Full Story (Flying Magazine)