Aviation Week reports that LCI “has placed a firm order for 50 Beta Technologies Alia-250 electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles (eVTOL) with an option for another 75.”
Full Story (Aviation Week)
Tag: eVTOL
Vertical Aerospace Expects VX4 to be Certified Concurrently with UK, Europe
Aviation Week reports that Vertical Aerospace “expects to certificate its VX4 air taxi concurrently with the UK and Europe, with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) agreeing to validate UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) type certification of the electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing (eVTOL) aircraft.”
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Vertiport Construction Begins In US Midwest
Aviation International News reports that construction “is beginning on two vertiports designed to accommodate eVTOLs in the U.S. Midwest. Davenport, Iowa-based Difco has begun building a vertiport in Rock Island, Illinois, while Volatus Infrastructure plans to erect an eVTOL terminal and charging station at Wittman Regional Airport (KOSH) in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.”
Full Story (Aviation International News)
Prestige Aviation Orders 100 EH216s from EHang
Aviation Week reports that EHang “has secured its largest commitment to date from an Asian customer with preorders for 100 EH216 autonomous air taxis from Prestige Aviation.”
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Air Greenland Partners with Avolon to Acquire VX4 eVTOLs
Aviation Today reported that Avolon and Air Greenland “will form a Working Group to examine the potential of commercial zero-emission air travel in Greenland.” Air Greenland “has also committed to a purchase or lease of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft from Avolon; the eVTOLs will be manufactured by Vertical Aerospace, maker of the five-seater, zero-emission VX4 aircraft.”
Full Story (Aviation Today)
Joby Completes First Systems, Compliance Reviews, Gains FAA Approval
Aviation Today reported that Joby Aviation “took another step towards certification of its fully electric aircraft in completing its first Systems Review and Compliance Review and earning Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval.”
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ANA, Joby to Establish eVTOL Air Taxi Services
Aviation International News reports that All Nippon Airways (ANA) and Joby Aviation have announced an agreement Monday to “establish ridesharing flights in the U.S. company’s four-passenger eVTOL aircraft.” Toyota is “also joining the partnership and will provide expertise for plans to integrate the air taxi services with ground transportation.”
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Rolls-Royce Expects Electric Air Taxis in Three to Five Years
Fortune reports that Rolls-Royce “expects a fully-electric small aircraft in three to five years.” Rolls-Royce Electrical Division President Rob Watson said, “We are confident in the technology. Now we need to scale it so it can have a meaningful economic influence. I think that’s where you see urban air mobility and regional air mobility, aircraft with 8-18 seats, becoming a real possibility in the next three to five years.”
Full Story (Fortune)
Joby, SK Telecom to Offer Air Taxi Services in South Korea
Aviation Week reports that South Korea’s “ambition to launch urban air mobility (UAM) services in 2025 has been boosted by the signing of a strategic collaboration agreement between air taxi developer Joby Aviation and Korean telecommunications giant SK Telecom (SKT).”
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Joby Aviation eVTOL Awarded FAA, USAF Certification
Aviation Today reports that “FAA Special Airworthiness Certification and U.S. Air Force Airworthiness Approval were both awarded to Joby Aviation for the company’s second pre-production prototype aircraft.” Due to the certification, Joby “will be able to ramp up flight testing in 2022 and continue working towards a commercial operations launch date in 2024.”
Full Story (Aviation Today)