At the National Business Aviation Administration-Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) in Las Vegas, FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker signed the SFAR, which contains initial operational rules and pilot training requirements for powered-lift aircraft and will remain in effect for 10 years.

“It’s here today,” Whitaker told NBAA-BACE attendees Tuesday morning. “It is now a final rule.”

The FAA called the SFAR the “final piece in the puzzle” for introducing powered-lift aircraft, which could begin flying passengers, cargo, and even ambulance services in rural and urban areas as soon as next year.

The category is a relatively new, special class of aircraft covering designs that take off vertically like a helicopter but cruise on fixed wings like an airplane. To be considered powered-lift, the aircraft must generate lift primarily from its engines—which can be electric, hydrogen, or hybrid-powered—while relying on rigid components, usually wings, for horizontal flight. They will become the first new category of civil aircraft since helicopters were introduced in the 1940s.

The FAA sometimes refers to these as vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) or advanced air mobility (AAM) aircraft, the latter term covering new aircraft technology more broadly.

For years, the agency communicated to the aviation industry that there would be a pathway for powered-lift designs—such as electric air taxis being developed by Joby Aviation, Archer Aviation, and others—to be certified as Part 23 normal category aircraft.

But the regulator unexpectedly reversed course in 2022, determining instead that they would be certified as Part 21 special class aircraft. That kicked off a yearslong effort to develop an entirely new set of rules for powered-lift pilot training, operations, maintenance, and more.

The FAA last year released a proposal addressing several of those areas. It was panned by a collective of industry groups, however, who argued that the proposed pilot training requirements were too strict. They also clamored for performance-based operational rules—drawing from aircraft and rotorcraft guidelines as appropriate—rather than the creation of a new powered-lift operational category, as the FAA proposed.

FAA and Department of Transportation officials have promised to address the industry’s concerns. According to Whitaker, the SFAR does exactly that.

“For the last 80 years, we’ve had two types [of aircraft], rotor and fixed wing,” he said. “We now have a third type…and this rule will create an operating environment so these companies can figure out how to train pilots. They can figure out how to operate.”

The SFAR applies helicopter rules to certain phases of powered-lift flight, regardless of whether the aircraft is operating like a helicopter or an airplane. But in response to the industry’s feedback, it uses performance-based rules for certain operations, applying airplane, rotorcraft, or helicopter rules as appropriate.

For example, powered-lift aircraft can use helicopter minimums for VFR and IFR fuel requirements and minimum safe altitudes when they are capable of performing a vertical landing at any point along the route, as a helicopter is. This will allow manufacturers to get around the issue of low battery energy density, for example, by lowering the fuel reserve requirement.

“The rulemaking approach now is to really focus on performance and making sure you can prove that you can operate safely, or you can meet certain performance metrics, rather than being prescriptive and telling you exactly how to do it,” Whitaker said. “So we’re trying to create a larger envelope to have different means of compliance for some of the requirements and the rules.”

The approach mirrors the European Union Aviation Safety Agency’s (EASA) special class for VTOL (SC-VTOL) rules, which base operational guidelines on situational factors—like reserve fuel levels—instead of aircraft design. It’s a change that will be welcomed by manufacturers, who can now design aircraft for a wide range of operations rather than those defined by a narrow powered-lift category.

“We need to have the flexibility to allow these businesses to succeed, do so safely, and adjust our approach as we go along,” Whitaker said.

The other major difference between the SFAR and the FAA’s initial proposal is the creation of a pathway to train powered-lift pilots with a single set of flight controls. Some programs will still require dual controls. But throwover controls and simulator training will be acceptable substitutes. The change is a big one, as many powered-lift manufacturers designed their aircraft—including trainers—with single controls.

“Some pilot training can happen in the normal way that it’s always happened, with an instructor that has a set of controls and a student that has a set of controls,” Whitaker said. “But sometimes it’s a single set of controls that are accessible to an instructor, so we have rules that allow for that type of operation. And sometimes they have other configurations. So there again, we put in performance metrics to make sure that the companies can train instructors, and the instructors can train pilots.”

Last year, the FAA released a blueprint intended to serve as a framework for policymakers, describing a “crawl-walk-fly” approach to integrate powered-lift designs alongside conventional aircraft. The agency predicts they will initially use existing helicopter routes and infrastructure, and pilots will communicate with air traffic control as needed.

But Whitaker on Tuesday said the FAA will continue developing a new ecosystem for powered-lift aircraft. Critical to its blueprint is the construction of vertiports: vertical takeoff and landing sites equipped with electric chargers and other powered-lift infrastructure.

“The blueprint that we put in place 16 months ago for introducing this technology includes vertiports, and we’ll continue to work on that issue,” Whitaker said.

Plenty more work must be done in order for powered-lift designs to take to the skies at scale. But the SFAR gives the industry a practical pathway to begin flying.

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At the National Business Aviation Association-Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) in Las Vegas, Supernal said it will work with FBO network Clay Lacy Aviation to prepare the latter’s sites for eVTOL air taxis. Separately, the manufacturer signed a deal with Blade Urban Air Mobility with an eye toward refining and creating hypothetical routes for its flagship design.

Supernal’s SA-2, unveiled in January, is designed for a pilot to fly as many as four passengers in urban areas such as Miami or Los Angeles, the firm’s planned launch markets. Taking off vertically like a helicopter but cruising on fixed wings, it will have an initial range of about 60 sm (52 nm) and cruise at 120 mph (104 knots) at around 1,500 feet agl. The aircraft’s zero-emission and low-noise operation is another key selling point.

At NBAA-BACE from Tuesday to Thursday, Supernal will take attendees into a virtual reality space at Henderson Executive Airport (KHND) to give them an idea of the flying experience both for pilots and passengers.

The manufacturer at the event also announced a collaboration with Clay Lacy Aviation, its first official FBO partner, that will prepare the firm’s locations for eVTOL aircraft.

The strategy of working with FBOs to electrify their terminals is not uncommon in the nascent eVTOL space. Clay Lacy—the lone FBO accredited by the NBAA as a Sustainable Flight Department for its use of environmentally friendly infrastructure—is also installing infrastructure for eVTOL manufacturers Joby Aviation and Overair, for example.

Joby, Archer Aviation, Beta Technologies, and Lilium have similar arrangements with Atlantic Aviation. Archer and Beta are further working with another FBO network, Signature Aviation.

“Availability of infrastructure will be critical to scaling the AAM industry, and this partnership is the latest step in ensuring the ecosystem is thoughtfully designed for future commercial eVTOL operators,” said Diana Cooper, chief partnerships and policy officer for Supernal.

The manufacturer’s five-year agreement with Clay Lacy Aviation will focus on how to integrate eVTOL into existing airport operations, namely by devising standards and procedures for ground handling, battery management, and maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO). Supernal will further assist Clay Lacy Aviation with the installation of power and charging systems.

The partners will initially focus on the FBO network’s sites at Orange County Airport (KSNA) and Van Nuys Airport (KVNY) in Southern California, where Supernal plans to launch near the end of the decade. Later on, they will take what they have learned from those locations to prepare Clay Lacy Aviation’s broader network.

“Supernal and Clay Lacy share strong commitments to sustainable aviation, safe and efficient operations and a superior passenger experience that benefits the communities we serve,” said Scott Cutshall, president of real estate and sustainability for Clay Lacy Aviation.

Cutshall and Cooper on Wednesday will discuss how FBOs more broadly can prepare for electric air taxis on a NBAA-BACE panel that also includes representatives from Joby, Beta, and the North Carolina Department of Transportation.

Separately, Supernal announced a three-year partnership with Blade, an operator of primarily helicopters that offers private, on-demand flights in New York City and a few other markets.

The partners will create hypothetical New York City routes to plan for air taxi, organ transplant transport, and other future eVTOL services. They will also look for “advantageous commercial arrangements in geographies of mutual interest”—such as a network in Southern California that combines Supernal’s eVTOL and Blade’s air charter broker platform.

“Our goal is to make aviation more accessible by preparing to adopt eVTOL aircraft,” said Melissa Tomkiel, president and general counsel of Blade. “In combining Blade’s expertise with Supernal’s forward-thinking innovations, this partnership is poised to accelerate AAM development and enable quiet, safe, and emission-free transportation.”

Supernal will help guide Blade’s plans to launch an AAM offering with technical and operational support. Blade in return will provide feedback on Supernal’s aircraft design, safety, passenger comfort, and potential to operate across multiple markets.

“It is critical we collaborate with experienced commercial partners like Blade to ensure our eVTOL’s cabin features align with passenger expectations for comfort, safety and efficiency in the next generation of inter-city mobility,” said David Rottblatt, senior director of strategy and commercialization at Supernal.

A Supernal-Blade network could fly passengers and cargo between Blade terminals at heliports and airports. At NBAA-BACE, for example, Blade is offering private helicopter flights between Henderson Executive Airport and the Las Vegas Convention Center, providing a glimpse of what a Supernal eVTOL route may look like.

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The aircraft—which take off vertically like a helicopter but cruise on fixed wings like an airplane—could begin flying passengers in the Big Apple as soon as next year.

Atlantic on Thursday said the chargers will be installed at its terminal at the East 34th Street Heliport (6N5) on the Manhattan waterfront, where the company this week agreed with the city’s Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) to extend its operations for the next five years.

The location is a hub for trips in and around New York City and handles flights for New York University’s Langone Health Center. And according to Atlantic, eVTOL manufacturers Joby Aviation and Archer Aviation—which have announced New York City as a launch market in partnership with Delta Air Lines and United Airlines, respectively—plan to use the site in the coming years.

To accommodate both companies’ air taxis, Atlantic will install combined charging system (CCS) and global electric aviation charging system (GEACS) chargers.

The CCS was originally designed as a standard for electric ground vehicles and has been widely endorsed—including by the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), as well as Archer and other manufacturers—as the standard for eVTOL aircraft. Joby chose to develop its own system, GEACS, which like the CCS is billed as a universal charger for electric aircraft. The main difference is that CCS systems can also accommodate ground vehicles.

Atlantic said it is working with Joby, Archer, and a third partner, Beta Technologies, to ensure that all certified eVTOL models can land at the heliport as soon as they receive the FAA’s green light to begin flying passengers.

“Maintaining our presence at the East 34th Street Heliport and expanding infrastructure there to support eVTOL operations aligns with our commitment to community-beneficial transportation solutions and will support New York City on its journey to facilitating quiet and sustainable aviation operations,” said John Redcay, chief commercial and sustainability officer at Atlantic.

New York is already home to scheduled and on-demand helicopter services such as Blade Air Mobility. But eVTOL air taxi manufacturers promise a service that is faster and quieter.

Joby and Archer, through its Archer Air subsidiary, each own FAA Part 135 air carrier permissions and are in the thick of the type certification process. The companies intend to offer flights to and from local airports, including Newark Liberty International Airport (KEWR) and John F. Kennedy International Airport (KJFK), with eVTOL air taxis that can carry up to four passengers plus a pilot.

The zero-emission aircraft cruise at around 150 to 200 mph, charging in about 10-15 minutes for minimal downtime between flights. They are also significantly quieter than helicopters—NASA, for example, found that Joby’s air taxi produces about as much noise as a typical conversation at cruising altitude.

Joby earlier this month showcased its air taxi at New York’s Grand Central Terminal and last year performed the first eVTOL demonstration flights in the city, lifting off from the Downtown Manhattan Heliport (KJRB) as Mayor Eric Adams and other officials looked on. Adams after the event announced the city’s plans to electrify the heliport.

Joby and Delta, meanwhile, are working with the New York Port Authority and NYCEDC to build eVTOL infrastructure at JFK and LaGuardia International Airport (KLGA). According to the manufacturer, an air taxi flight from Manhattan to JFK would take about seven minutes compared to an hour-plus drive by car.

Archer, on the other hand, estimates a flight in its Midnight air taxi from the Downtown Manhattan Heliport to United’s terminal at Newark Liberty would take about 10 minutes, compared to more than an hour in rush hour traffic. The company will initially operate airport-to-city-center “trunk” routes before adding “branch” routes that connect wider communities.

“New York City is leading the way in embracing this exciting new technology…that will bring significant quality of life improvements for New Yorkers and new sustainable transportation,” said Andrew Kimball, president and CEO of NYCEDC. “NYCEDC looks forward to working with Atlantic Aviation in our continued partnership as they ready East 34th Street for quieter and greener helicopter alternatives.”

Archer and Joby claim their offerings will be akin to ground-based rideshare services such as Uber or Lyft. Joby, for example, recently unveiled an Uber-like software for pilots and riders, which autonomously assigns users a flight based on their desired origin, destination, and departure time. Through an integration, Joby riders will be able to book rides on the Uber platform and vice versa.

The companies also claim their services will be cost competitive with existing rideshare platforms. Both firms have appointed veterans of Uber Elevate—which ran the short-lived UberCopter service—to their leadership teams, which could help them learn from the failed service’s missteps.

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Toyota on Wednesday announced it will funnel an additional $500 million into the commercial production and certification of Joby Aviation’s electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxi. The four-passenger design—which takes off vertically like a helicopter but cruises on fixed wings—last year began crewed testing and is expected to begin ferrying customers as early as next year, pending FAA approval.

Toyota has now invested a total of $894 million into Joby, making it the firm’s largest external shareholder.

Toyota’s investment will be made in two $250 million tranches, the first of which is targeted to close this year. Tied to the funding is the expectation that the companies will form a manufacturing alliance for the first phase of air taxi commercialization, similar to the arrangement competitor Archer Aviation has with Stellantis, another massive automaker.

“The knowledge and support shared by Toyota have been instrumental in Joby’s success, and we look forward to deepening our relationship as we deliver on our shared vision for the future of air travel,” said JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO of Joby.

Like Joby, Toyota is committed to electrifying transportation with models like the Prius—about 1 in 4 of the 2.6 million cars and trucks it sold in 2023 were either full battery-electric, hybrid, or plug-in hybrid with a fuel cell.

According to Bevirt, the companies have collaborated for nearly seven years, beginning with an initial investment from Toyota Ventures. Since then, the automaker has made subsequent investments totaling nearly $400 million.

Toyota engineers, meanwhile, have begun working alongside Joby personnel at the company’s manufacturing and flight test center at Marina Municipal Airport (KOAR) in California. They’re also advising Joby as the firm prepares for scaled production at its newly acquired facility at Dayton International Airport (KDAY) in Ohio, where it initially plans to manufacture more than 500 aircraft annually as soon as next year.

Last year, Joby and Toyota signed a long-term agreement for Toyota to provide powertrain and actuator components for Joby’s production aircraft, deepening the relationship further.

Joby’s air taxi design and Archer’s Midnight are further along in the FAA certification process than any other eVTOL model, with both firms anticipating the start of for-credit evaluations next year. Now, both companies can call on their massive financial backings to churn out aircraft at high volume once they receive the green light.

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Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University on Tuesday announced a partnership with the Advanced Air Mobility Association (AAMA), a nonprofit initiative working with the private sector, universities, government, and other stakeholders to create “road maps” for the introduction of AAM aircraft, tailored for major U.S. cities. Under the agreement, AAMA will leverage the expertise of Embry-Riddle faculty and provide students with opportunities for project collaboration, internships, and more.

AAMA was launched publicly in April and is led by president and CEO Antonio Campello, an Embraer executive of more than 30 years who most recently headed Embraer-X—the company’s innovation arm and technology incubator.

Johann Bordais, president and CEO of Embraer air taxi arm Eve Air Mobility, a spinoff of EmbraerX, sits on the group’s board, which also includes Bristow Group executive David Stepanek and Republic Airways executive Charles Hillis. Both Bristow and Republic are Eve partners.

In addition, AAMA adviser Frank Di Bello previously served as president and CEO of Space Florida, an Eve investor. Michael Amalfitano, who sits on Eve’s board, is on Embry-Riddle’s board of trustees.

However, Campello told FLYING that AAMA receives no funding from Embraer or Eve and is fully agnostic, working with all platforms and OEMs and favoring no company. He said the group has been inviting AAM operators, aircraft manufacturers, industry groups, universities, and city governments to help build the ecosystem needed to bolster a new wave of transportation.

Passenger- or cargo-carrying electric air taxis, for example, will require vertiports, special takeoff and landing sites fitted with chargers and other equipment. Designing, building, operating, and regulating these sites will be a collaborative effort.

AAMA intends to establish “readiness laboratories,” where stakeholders can create and implement a minimum viable product (MVP). Businesses use MVPs, which typically are designed with just enough features to be usable for early customers, to gauge the feasibility of an idea. Essentially, the group is looking to launch a beta version of an AAM ecosystem and receive feedback from customers on how it could be improved.

AAMA will use funding generated from membership fees, grants, events, and fees charged to use its readiness labs to create reports describing how different regions can integrate air taxis and other novel aircraft. Per a pitch deck viewed by FLYING, it will also advocate for key regulations on Capitol Hill.

According to Embry-Riddle, AAMA will work with university faculty that lead AAM programs, such as within the Eagle Flight Research Center. Kyle Collins, an assistant professor of aerospace engineering and the director of the center, said it has been exploring the topic for years.

Embry-Riddle students will also be able to work directly with AAMA members on projects and will have opportunities to intern with the association and its member organizations.

“We’re excited to see our team of experienced professionals collaborating with researchers, faculty, and students to propose innovative and customized solutions aimed at implementing a safe and efficient advanced air mobility ecosystem in cities and regions across the globe,” said Campello.

Separately, Embry-Riddle is collaborating with the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA), which manages Orlando International Airport (KMCO), to explore the integration of AAM operations at that site. In addition, researchers are working under a $1.4 million NASA grant to study how air taxis can take off quietly and safely in dense urban environments and turbulent conditions.

It’s unclear how much access AAMA will be granted to those projects, but the organization will hope to glean insights from top aviation experts.

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At the company’s flight test center at Cotswold Airport (EGBP) in England, Vertical pilots took the prototype through 70 individual test points, culminating in multiple hover flights of the aircraft while it was tethered to the ground.

The next step will be to remove the tether for piloted thrustborne flights, using lift generated by the aircraft’s propellers to perform vertical takeoffs and landings and low-speed maneuvers. The company is working with the U.K.’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to expand its permit to fly, which would allow it to begin that phase.

“It took us just one week to go from our first ground test to our chief test pilot flying the VX4, and we have been making outstanding progress since then,” said Stuart Simpson, CEO of Vertical.

According to Vertical, that pace of progress is three times faster than what its previous prototype accomplished.

That model crashed during an uncrewed test at Cotswold in August 2023 after a failed pylon affected the way the aircraft’s flight control system communicated with its motors, causing it to tumble about 30 feet onto the runway. The impact caused enough damage to retire the model from flight testing and force a delay to piloted untethered flight testing, which the company had hoped to complete last year.

Vertical rebounded by kicking off testing of its current VX4 prototype in July, just under one year after the crash. According to the firm, the new design is significantly more powerful.

A 20 percent increase in the aircraft’s power-to-weight ratio, by the company’s estimate, enables speeds up to 150 mph—the intended cruise speed for its flagship aircraft. The design includes Vertical’s next generation propellers and proprietary battery systems, as well as components supplied by partners such as Honeywell, Leonardo, GKN Aerospace, and Molicel. The company says it is developing an identical prototype that will further accelerate its test campaign.

Across 20 piloted test sorties, the prototype VX4 simulated flight maneuvers and scenarios—including those outside of expected operating conditions—to validate safety.

Engineers gauged how the aircraft responded to simulated failures to prove that it could fly safely even in unanticipated conditions. Vertical deliberately failed one of the prototype’s electric propulsion units (EPUs) during a piloted tether flight, for example, to confirm that its other engines automatically output maximum power to compensate. Pilots also failed EPUs during high-speed taxi to validate the aircraft’s ground handling capabilities.

Other tests focused on the model’s powertrain and propellers, preflight operations, and ability to handle turbulence.

“These tests have enabled Vertical engineers to collect and measure 35,000 flight and system parameters and verify that all systems are operating correctly and safely in different conditions ahead of further expanding the flight test envelope to piloted thrustborne flight,” the company said.

Following thrustborne flight, phase three of the test campaign will introduce conventional takeoffs, landings, and flight, with lift generated by the wing. The final phase is expected to tie everything together, with the VX4 transitioning seamlessly between thrustborne and wingborne flight.

That full transition flight has been achieved by only a handful of eVTOL manufacturers and is considered a key testing milestone.

After the VX4 prototype completes a transition flight at Cotswold, Vertical will turn to for-credit testing with the U.K. CAA, from which it is seeking a type certificate by 2026.

The firm has several marquee customers, including American Airlines, Japan Airlines, and Virgin Atlantic, that have already placed orders for its flagship model. It estimates the value of its order backlog at around $6 billion, based on about 1,500 preorders.

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This week during the International Civil Aviation Organization’s inaugural Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Summit in Montreal, Joby took the first step in securing an air operator certificate from the United Arab Emirates’ General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA)—a requirement to operate commercial air transport in the country.

Company leaders met with the aviation regulator’s director general, presenting a letter of intent to begin the application process.

Joby earlier this year signed multiple agreements with regional Emirati agencies in preparation to fly in the UAE’s two largest cities, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, as early as 2026. It announced similar plans for neighboring Saudi Arabia in May.

“There is incredible momentum behind the adoption of clean flight across the UAE, and we’re excited to be working with a wide range of partners, including the GCAA, to lay the groundwork for one of the world’s first electric air taxi networks,” said JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO of Joby.

Joby’s all-electric air taxi takes off and lands vertically like a helicopter but flies on fixed wings like a plane, with some help from unique tilting propellers. It is designed for a pilot to fly as many as four passengers, cruising as fast as 200 mph (174 knots).

The company estimates that a trip between Dubai International Airport (OMDB) and the Palm Jumeirah—a group of artificial islands on the city’s waterside—for example, would take about 10 minutes by air taxi versus 45 minutes by car.

Joby’s LOI for an air operator certificate is the first step toward making those flights a reality. Similar to the FAA’s Part 135 Air Carrier Certificate, which Joby obtained in 2022, the approval will authorize the company as a commercial operator. The certification process comprises five phases, culminating in GCAA observation of flight operations and pilot and mechanic training. The company will also devise air taxi operating manuals and host inspections of its UAE facilities.

“Our readiness to support these advanced technologies underscores our commitment to fostering advanced air mobility solutions that will be part of the future of transportation in the UAE and beyond,” said Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, director general of the GCAA.

Joby is not alone in the Middle East. The region has become somewhat of a hot spot for eVTOL manufacturers in recent years, luring companies with the promise of extensive government support and financing.

For example, rival air taxi firm Archer Aviation similarly plans to fly in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, where, despite Joby’s claim to exclusive air taxi operator rights, Archer CEO Adam Goldstein believes the competitors can coexist.

“We believe we will be able to operate [in Dubai], and we will have a strong hub out of Abu Dhabi,” Goldstein told FLYING in March. “We’re glad to see Joby coming to the region and leaning in, because we think it’s a good early market for eVTOL players to start.”

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The space agency on Monday introduced the Airborne Instrumentation for Real-world Video of Urban Environments, or AIRVUE—a specially designed pod that attaches to the bottom of a helicopter and can train AAM aircraft to “see” obstacles in their path. The technology is designed to hone computer vision systems for autonomous flight.

Agency researchers in April conducted initial AIRVUE testing at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, attaching it to a piloted NASA helicopter to survey the environment.

“The computer algorithms that will enable the aircraft to sense the environment must be reliable and proven to work in many flight circumstances,” NASA said. “NASA data promises that fidelity, making this an important resource for industry.”

Developed and built at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, the pod is equipped with cameras and sensors to collect visual information on weather and other hazards, compiling them into a massive dataset that will be shared with AAM manufacturers.

In the space agency’s view, data collected independently by manufacturers is seldom shared with competitors. That creates fragmentation in an industry the U.S. hopes to one day lead.

“Data is the fuel for machine learning,” said Nelson Brown, lead NASA researcher for the AIRVUE project. “We hope to inspire innovation by providing the computer vision community with realistic flight scenarios. Accessible datasets have been essential to advances in driver aids and self-driving cars, but so far, we haven’t seen open datasets like this in aviation.”

The space agency said it plans to develop more pods that integrate with other aircraft once it refines and evaluates the Airvue design.

This is not NASA’s first foray into self-flying systems. In 2022, for instance, it contracted autonomous flight developer Xwing, which in June was acquired by electric air taxi firm Joby Aviation, to design a safety management system for uncrewed flight.

Joby is just one of the manufacturers collaborating with NASA under its AAM mission, which seeks to give commercial firms the data they need to safely integrate air taxis, drones, and other vehicles within the national airspace.

Also working with the agency are Boeing self-flying air taxi subsidiary Wisk Aero and Archer Aviation, which last year agreed to make Wisk the sole provider of autonomy systems for its flagship Midnight air taxi. Joby and Archer’s aircraft will fly with a pilot at launch, but both anticipate a move to uncrewed flight in the future.

NASA’s research with these companies has spanned everything from turbulence and noise to battery safety and simulated operations around busy U.S. airports. The space agency has also operated self-flying drones to further study automated AAM operations.

Drones operations are on the agenda too. This month, for example, NASA gathered representatives from the drone industry, police and fire departments, and FAA to help the regulator develop a rule for operations beyond the visual line of sight (BVLOS) of the pilot.

In lieu of a final BVLOS regulation, the FAA awards these permissions via waiver. Lifting BVLOS restrictions is expected to greatly expand the service area for drone delivery by allowing operators to essentially manage their own airspace—with FAA supervision, of course.

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The annual event, held at the Las Vegas Convention Center and nearby Henderson Executive Airport (KHND), will include an Emerging Tech Pavilion showcasing a who’s who of advanced air mobility (AAM) companies developing technology that has the potential to shape aviation’s future.

The initial list, which the NBAA said will be expanded, comprises electric VTOL (eVTOL) air taxi firm Joby Aviation, eVTOL jet manufacturer Lilium, and hybrid-electric ultra short aircraft developer Electra. Also in attendance will be a collection of “key leaders in government and industry,” though the organization did not specify who.

“More than ever, this year’s NBAA-BACE will gather the innovations that are redefining what’s possible in aviation and revolutionizing on-demand air mobility, with the Emerging Tech Pavilion offering participants an up-close look at a host of AAM concepts,” the NBAA said.

Within the AAM space, Joby is well known for being one of the handful of firms already working closely with the FAA on type certification.

The company is building a fully electric air taxi designed for a pilot to fly as many as four passengers on trips up to 100 sm (87 nm), cruising at 200 mph (174 knots), though it is optimized for intracity routes under 50 sm (43 nm). Unlike competitors such as Archer Aviation, it will operate the aircraft itself rather than selling it to airlines, though it does have a partnership with Delta Air Lines.

Among eVTOL manufacturers, Joby is arguably the closest to achieving type certification, having already begun flight testing with a production prototype. It’s also developing a liquid hydrogen-powered air taxi that could accommodate longer routes—like those Lilium intends to fly.

The German manufacturer is behind the seven-seat Lilium Jet, an all-electric model that relies on small electric fans embedded in its wings for lift. The atypical design is expected to fly slightly farther (about 95 nm) but slower (134 knots) than Joby’s air taxi, connecting cities rather than flying within them.

The aircraft, which is being marketed for business aviation among other use cases, was first displayed at the European Aviation Business Convention and Exhibition (EBACE) in Geneva this past May. It’s unclear whether it will be showcased in Las Vegas—Lilium told FLYING it is still finalizing its plans for NBAA-BACE.

Electra, though, told FLYING it will bring a model of its nine-passenger, ultra short aircraft to the show.

The hybrid-electric design employs a unique propulsion system called blown lift, which guides air flows over the aircraft’s wing and into large flaps and ailerons. These control surfaces direct the flows downward to amplify lift, allowing the vehicle to get airborne at what Electra describes as neighborhood driving speeds. As a result, it needs just 150 feet of runway to take off and land.

With a projected range of 500 nm and cruise speed of 175 knots, the model could be deployed for regional transport. In its announcement, though, the NBAA noted it could also serve direct aviation.

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The company on Monday said it completed the first pilot training program for its Alia CTOL (also called the CX300) with a customer, United Therapeutics (UT), and its subsidiary, Unither Bioelectronics. Beta took company leaders and flight operations executives through its full CX300 pilot training syllabus, which the company intends to use during future in-aircraft training once approved by the FAA.

The move represents a step toward finalizing a CX300 training product to accompany initial aircraft deliveries to customers. Beta expects to begin deliveries next year following type certification.

UT was Beta’s first customer, placing an order for the company’s electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) Alia model and electric charging stations. The firm is also an investor, having provided Beta with $52 million to get off the ground and a $48 million contract to build Alia, which it helped design. Martine Rothblatt, founder and CEO of UT and a member of the Beta board, was the first noncompany pilot to fly the aircraft.

When Beta unveiled the CX300 in 2023, UT was one of its first customers alongside Bristow Group and Air New Zealand. The company intends to use the two aircraft to quickly transport medical cargo, such as 3D-printed organs, at what Beta claims will be a fraction of the cost of conventional designs.

Both models are fully electric and designed to carry up to 1,000 pounds of cargo, or as many as five passengers, in a space of 200 cubic feet, cruising at 135 knots. The Alia has an expected range of 250 nm, while the more robust CX300 has demonstrated a range of 336 nm during test flights.

Beta has already begun installing a nationwide network of electric charging stations for its aircraft to tap into and is working with FBO networks such as Signature Aviation and Atlantic Aviation to electrify their terminals.

But one major step remaining for the company, and all electric aircraft manufacturers, is developing a pilot training curriculum.

Beta’s tailored CX300 syllabus, which the company said it has been refining for years, must still be approved by an FAA Flight Standards District Office. Walking a customer through the process, though, suggests that the firm is anticipating the green light sooner rather than later.

Over three days, Beta took a team comprising seasoned Unither helicopter and fixed-wing pilots through a three-step curriculum covering ground training requirements, familiarization with the aircraft and its systems, and operational employment for air ambulance missions.

The process began with overviews of the aircraft’s manuals, aerodynamics, concept of operations, limitations, and requirements, followed by reviews of its electric propulsion technology, fly-by-wire flight controls, and other atypical systems.

Capping off the campaign was a series of simulator rehearsals, during which Unither pilots completed practical exercises, performance planning, and preflight and ground operations. These culminated in two simulated missions—one IFR, one VFR—along routes the company intends to fly with the aircraft.

“The tailored syllabus from this event will be used with future in-aircraft training utilizing Beta’s dual-seat trainer configuration,” Beta said.

Beta so far has trained eight of its own pilots to fly the CX300, in addition to Rothblatt and pilots from the FAA, U.S. Air Force, Army, and customers UPS and Bristow. This year, it completed several “real-world” missions during two CX300 deployments for the Air Force under its contract with AFWERX, the department’s innovation arm.

More recently, Beta received a lift when the FAA authorized it to begin training pilots on its Alia eVTOL. The company tells FLYING it will eventually walk UT and Unither pilots through a separate curriculum for that model.

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