FLYING took the opportunity to see what’s on the horizon in terms of both traditional helicopters and the red-hot powered-lift and eVTOL categories ahead of the Helicopter Association International’s HeliExpo in February at Anaheim, California.

Bell 525

The Bell 525 (at right) proposes to bring the first fully digital, fly-by-wire rotorcraft to the civil market, and Bell Helicopter has been hard at work getting the program to the finish line down at its headquarters in Fort Worth, Texas.

So what does that mean? The FBW design logic on the 525 is different from an aftermarket add-on autoflight system such as the GFC 600H. In this case, Bell’s partnership with Garmin has translated to the G5000H flight deck.

Tim Evans, business development manager on the 525 program, gave FLYING a special update ahead of Heli-Expo.

“Broadly speaking, flight testing is continuing very nicely, with the good relationship we have with the FAA,” said Evans. “Last year, we were able to complete nine TIAs towards certification, and by the end of February, we should have only five events left. Two of them we’re already into, and the other two [should be complete] by midyear.”

• READ MORE: Bell 360 Invictus Prototype Advances with T901 Engine Delivery

At that point, all of the delegated activities that Bell is responsible for will be finished—and the team will turn things over to the FAA. From there, functional and reliability testing is the last milestone to cross, with 150 hours of flying with the FAA, putting the 525 through its operational paces.

As with similar Textron Aviation aircraft programs, Bell engaged its Customer Advisory Board, which gave a clear message.

“The overwhelming response?” said Evans. “It’s automation that will bring a level of safety seen commensurately on the fixed wing side—the redundancy will be game-changing to how the civil market functions.”

According to Bell, the 525 will deliver what the customer feedback told it was needed: “When you pull it into a hover and get to 20 to 30 feet—with no pedals—it will hold that attitude, essentially hands off.”

Pilots can also turn into an angle of bank, with no pedal inputs, and the 525 will do a full 360 at the input bank angle.

“The control laws are able to anticipate and calculate the pilots’ inputs,” said Evans, noting that the 525 also benefits from a level of redundancy not seen before in this class of rotorcraft. “We’re shaping some of the requirements in Part 29, so the FAA required a triple redundancy—three computers, three hydraulic [systems]—so [it’s] a safer aircraft at a foundational level.”

Several markets that Bell shaped the 525 for include offshore, VIP/head of state, and SAR/parapublic/Coast Guard—so Bell built certain provisioning into the airframe itself, though kitting will take care of the details. Bell has multiple launch customers and is in active negotiations, though it can’t say yet who those first deliveries will go to.

In closing our briefing, Evans also wanted to highlight the green side of the design.

“If you compare the 525 to others in the medium space, it’s going to be 30 percent more efficient than a [Sikorsky] S-92. That’s one we’re pretty proud of. We’ve also flown it on SAF fuel, a 30 percent blend, but capable of up to 100 percent.”

Leonardo AW09 and AW609

Two projects from Leonardo Helicopters have also been winding their way through the certification process along the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) track—the modern-yet-standard AW09 helicopter and the AW609 tiltrotor design.

The single-engine AW09 was originally developed by Kopter Group, a company acquired by Leonardo in 2020. Proposed as a multimission solution for VIP transport, emergency medical services, utility operations, and security teams, the AW09 will carry up to eight passengers.

A five-blade, all-composite rotor system will translate into smooth flight characteristics and a high degree of maneuverability. Up front, the Garmin G3000H flight deck offers pilots next-generation glass. The Safran Arriel 2K powerplant has dual channel FADEC with an auxiliary backup system. Projected retail pricing begins at $3.9 million.

• READ MORE: Leonardo Tests AI-Enabled Visual Awareness System for Rotorcraft

A year ago, on March 16 and 17, Leonardo began familiarization flight testing with EASA on the tiltrotor AW609, following on to FAA testing in February. The company plans dual certification, so it is moving through the process with both agencies concurrently. Leonardo pursues this strategy in hopes of making up for some lost time, as the AW609 began life in the 1990s as a joint project between Bell and Agusta, called the BA609.

That’s probably why it bears some resemblance to the more commonly known Bell V-22 Osprey. The AW609 similarly enters the powered-lift category with its ability to take off vertically and fly at high cruise speeds with props tilted forward—up to twice the speed of normal helicopters, according to the company. The expected service ceiling will be 25,000 feet msl.

Its projected certification timeline remains in the distance, with a proposed retail price beginning at roughly $24 million.

Up Next for Robinson?

Robinson continues to set the pace on the light GA end of the market with its line of piston-powered R22s and R44s, and turbine R66 helicopters.

• READ MORE: Airworthiness Directive Issued for Robinson Helicopters

While the Lycoming O-320-powered R22 is well known in training, the R44—with its O-360 engine—crosses over into the recreational and light transportation markets with the Raven and Raven II variants. The R66 fulfills a variety of roles, with added cruise speed—up to 110 knots—extra passenger capacity, and turbine reliability from its Rolls-Royce RR300 engine.

As of press time, the company indicated news on the horizon that it would be sharing at Heli-Expo—including the updated empennage for the R44—so stay tuned into FLYING’s reporting from the event.

eVTOLs Next?

As we gear up for Heli-Expo, we know that the show floor will host an entire flight line of eVOTLs in various stages toward initial FAA certification. While we covered Joby Aviation’s prospects in detail in our “First Look: Joby’s eVTOL Future” piece in this issue, it is far from the only player in town.

Archer Aviation’s Midnight has recently passed its Phase 1 flight testing program, hot on Joby’s heels. The company announced in late January that it would be ready for the beginning of for-credit flight testing with the FAA later in 2024. The Midnight cuts a similar profile to the Joby aircraft—carrying one pilot plus four passengers—but with six fixed rotors in a forward flight position and six fixed for vertical flight. The test unit has yet to make the transition from vertical to forward flight as of press time, but we expect this to come soon.

Beta Technologies launched its program with a conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) aircraft

called the Alia to test its electric propulsion system in a more traditional airframe before moving forward into the powered-lift space. As of late January, Beta had conducted multiple flights with the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Department of Defense in both on-base and cross-country ops as part of the Agility Prime program. While it tests the applicability and cost reduction

possible—using electric aircraft in missions including casualty evacuation to go operational in 2025—Beta hopes to take what it learns and produce an eVTOL version by 2026.

Overair’s Butterfly eVTOL is also coming up quickly, as the Southern California-based company signs on several new customers in South Korea as well as Houston-based Bristow Group. Overair is now working through its G-1 Stage III means of compliance documentation with the FAA, with testing of the full-scale, six-seat prototype to begin later this year.

Meanwhile, south of the equator, Eve Air Mobility recently saw Brazilian aviation authority ANAC release the proposed airworthiness criteria for its design, along with bringing a list of key suppliers on board. Eve broke ground on its manufacturing facility in Taubaté, Brazil, earlier this year as well.

Many other players, including Volocopter, Lilium, and Jump Aero continue to chug along—and the race is really heating up as to who will make it to certification first. Oh, wait—that honor already belongs to EHang, which obtained CAAC’s blessing for its EH216-S in China in late 2023—and made the first commercial demonstration flights with it by December.

This feature first appeared in the March 2024/Issue 946 of FLYING’s print edition.

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Now for this week’s top story:

Clay Lacy Aviation to Bring Electric Air Taxis to FBOs

What happened? Clay Lacy, the famed aviator, is thought to have flown more hours on turbine aircraft than any pilot in history. But Clay Lacy Aviation, the company Lacy founded (and no longer has any association with the founder), is looking to fly electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft and other futuristic designs out of its FBO network in Southern California in partnership with Overair.

Old dog, new tricks: Clay Lacy Aviation is one of the oldest private jet charters and fleet operators in the Western U.S., with two full-service FBOs in Southern California and a third in the works on the East Coast. But the experienced provider is embracing the new generation of advanced air mobility (AAM) aircraft, such as Overair’s Butterfly eVTOL air taxi.

The partnership will center around the development of vertiports at Clay Lacy Aviation’s John Wayne Airport (KSNA) and Van Nuys Airport (KVNY) locations, as well as a concept of operations for Butterfly and other AAM aircraft that could fly in the region. Overair has similar agreements with Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (KDFW) and the city of Arlington, Texas.

Air taxis for all: This week’s collaboration follows Clay Lacy Aviation’s agreement with Joby Aviation to install the latter’s global electric aviation charging system (GEACS) at John Wayne. Overair, however, has backed the combined charging system (CCS) standard widely used by electric ground vehicles and endorsed by the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA).

Both GEACS and CCS are designed to be universally accessible to electric aircraft—each could charge Overair’s Butterfly, for example. But Joby has clashed with some of its air taxi rivals, with each side asserting their framework as the industry standard. Clay Lacy Aviation, though, plans to build electric infrastructure at its FBOs that will support both charging system proposals.

Quick quote: “Clay Lacy Aviation is committed to installing the electrical infrastructure to support all makes and models of electric aircraft, both fixed wing and eVTOL, to encourage the adoption of electric flight. In planning our new FBO development at John Wayne Airport, we are speaking with multiple OEMs and our local utility provider to ensure that the electric infrastructure we build out can support both CCS and GEACS charging protocols,” Scott Cutshall, senior vice president of strategy and sustainability at Clay Lacy Aviation, told FLYING.

My take: Joby and CCS-supporting competitors, such as Archer Aviation and Beta Technologies, each argue their proposed framework will be the sole industry standard. They may be right about there being one winner—major OEMs and operators will probably design and plan for one standard rather than both. It’s just easier that way.

But what if they’re wrong, and both standards can coexist? Clay Lacy Aviation and Overair appear to believe in a multipolar world, with both GEACS and CCS infrastructure fitting into the ecosystem. Atlantic Aviation, another FBO network, recently partnered with Joby, Archer, and Beta to install both kinds of chargers at its sites. These moves may be contingency plans should one system supplant the other. But either way, FBOs are building infrastructure to support both.

For what it’s worth, both CCS and the North American charging system (NACS) developed by Tesla have been viable options in the electric ground vehicle space. But CCS is slowly losing out as Ford, General Motors, and other large automakers switch over to NACS.

Deep dive: Clay Lacy Aviation, Overair Partner to Bring Air Taxis to Southern California

In Other News…

Historic Astronaut Crew Begins Research at Space Station

What happened? The multinational crew of Axiom Mission 3—or Ax-3, the third private astronaut mission to the International Space Station chartered by Houston-based Axiom Space—arrived at the orbital lab and began conducting more than 30 experiments. The crew will research microgravity, space botany, and even methods of preventing cancer.

Astronauts around the world: A SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule carrying the crew of Ax-3—the first all-European commercial astronaut mission to the space station—docked Saturday morning. The crew, comprising Spanish, Turkish, Swedish, and Italian nationals, joined space station occupants from the U.S., Europe, and East Asia.

The combined crews will work together for two weeks studying a wide array of low-Earth orbit (LEO) activities. Astronauts are exploring how microgravity, for example, affects neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and are even using it to try to prevent and predict cancer. Other studies focus on plant growth, remote planetary exploration, and the effects of zero gravity on astronaut stress.

Deep dive: First All-European Commercial Astronaut Crew Begins Research at Space Station

North American Manufacturers to Ship $1.3B Worth of Electric Aircraft to India

What happened? JetSetGo, an Indian fleet operator and marketplace for private jet and helicopter charters, ordered up to 280 electric aircraft in three separate deals with a combined value of $1.3 billion. Each aircraft—Overair’s Butterfly, Horizon Aircraft’s Cavorite X7, and Electra.aero’s hybrid electric short takeoff and landing (eSTOL)—offers different advantages.

Mix and match: JetSetGo said the combination of the three aircraft will create an “optimal mix” to serve five use cases: airport transfers, regional connectivity, intercity commute, intracity shuttles, and urban air taxis. The agreements lock it into 150 firm orders: 50 from each manufacturer for a combined $780 million. But each includes options for more aircraft.

Overair’s Butterfly introduces two technologies never before seen in eVTOL aircraft, designed to reduce energy demand and enable smoother flights. Horizon’s X7 employs a unique “fan-in-wing” configuration and blends features of a conventional aircraft with an eVTOL. And Electra’s design can take off and land with just 150 feet of runway.

Deep Dive: India’s JetSetGo Orders $1.3B Worth of Electric Aircraft from 3 Manufacturers

And a Few More Headlines:

• Vertical Aerospace founder Stephen Fitzpatrick committed $50 million to keep the air taxi manufacturer liquid through mid-2025.

• NASA and Archer partnered to test electric air taxi battery systems for potential use in spaceflight.

• Electra topped 2,000 preorders for its nine-seat hybrid eSTOL following its agreement with JetSetGo.

• Walmart partner DroneUp became the latest drone delivery firm to earn new flight permissions from the FAA.

• An attempted first lunar landing by a private company ended before reaching the moon as Astrobotic’s Peregrine lander returned to Earth.

On the Horizon…

Chinese-made drones could be transmitting sensitive U.S. information back to China, at least according to the FBI and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). The agencies released a report emphasizing the Chinese government’s outsized control over domestic company data—and urging American firms to avoid buying drones from DJI and other Chinese manufacturers.

DJI, though not specifically named in the guidance, has already pushed back on the allegations and characterizations made by the U.S. government. The company, responsible for an estimated 7 in 10 consumer drone sales worldwide, has been the target of seemingly endless bans from U.S. lawmakers, who have decried its drones as “TikTok with wings.”

As the U.S. attempts to restrict drones, the U.K. is embracing air taxis. The country’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) launched a consultation for vertiport design proposals, with the aim of installing the eVTOL hubs at existing airfields nationwide. As in the U.S., the strategy is to leverage existing infrastructure for early operations of air taxis and other AAM aircraft.

Finally, European Commission officials this week said they intend to release a draft of the first comprehensive European space law by March. The finer details of the legislation are largely a mystery, though the expectation is it will address safety and sustainability concerns and harmonize space regulations across European Union member states.

Mark Your Calendars

Each week, I’ll be running through a list of upcoming industry events. Here are a few conferences to keep an eye on:

• 11th Annual eVTOL Symposium—February 6-8 in Silicon Valley, California
• Drone Show Korea 2024—March 6-8 in Busan, South Korea
• World’s Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Conference—March 17-19 in Jerusalem
• AUVSI Xponential 2024—April 22-25 in San Diego 
• Vertical Flight Society’s Forum 80—May 7-9 in Montreal

Tweet of the Week

Want to see your tweet here next week? Have comments or feedback? Share your thoughts on X (formerly Twitter) and tag me (@jack_daleo)! Or check out FLYING’s media accounts:

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I want to hear your questions, comments, concerns, and criticisms about everything in the modern flying space, whether they’re about a new drone you just bought or the future of space exploration. Reach out to jack@flying.media or tweet me @jack_daleo with your thoughts.

The post FBOs, Meet AAM appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Soon, a very different kind of Butterfly—the electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxi from manufacturer Overair—may grace the Golden State’s skies following a partnership between Overair and Clay Lacy Aviation. The FBO network and infrastructure developer is working with the manufacturer to introduce advanced air mobility (AAM) services across Southern California.

The core focus of the strategic collaboration will be on vertiports and a concept of operations for Butterfly and other AAM aircraft. Clay Lacy Aviation will spearhead the development of electric charging infrastructure and operational logistics.

“Ultra-quiet, all-electric aircraft bring the promise of convenient and efficient transportation, easing traffic congestion and reducing travel times,” said Scott Cutshall, senior vice president of strategy and sustainability at Clay Lacy Aviation.

Overair, meanwhile, will bring expertise in aircraft integration, certification, and maintenance, as well as flight path planning and user and vertiport software. The manufacturer will also work to get the public on board for AAM services.

“AAM is an ideal addition to Southern California’s transportation network, creating a new option for fast, safe, and quiet transportation in the region,” said Valerie Manning, chief commercial officer of Overair. “We have been working with our partners at Clay Lacy [Aviation] for over a year and are delighted to announce our shared plan. We are confident that this strategic collaboration will leverage our respective strengths.”

Standing up vertiports will be a key component of the partnership, providing Clay Lacy Aviation hubs out of which to fly Butterfly. The vertiports figure to feature heavily in Overair’s concept of operations for AAM services in the region, which will dictate exactly how Butterfly and other air taxis fly.

Overair completed its first full-scale Butterfly prototype in December, joining a handful of manufacturers to have actually built an eVTOL design. The aircraft—designed to fly a pilot and up to five passengers on 100 sm (87 nm) zero-emission trips, cruising at 174 knots—is expected to begin flight testing this year.

“As we continue to make strides developing Butterfly, we’re also focused on partnering with infrastructure leaders to ensure that operations using this new mode of transit can be scaled quickly and efficiently,” said John Criezis, head of mobility operations at Overair.

Overair and Clay Lacy Aviation intend to install electric charging infrastructure across Southern California, starting with the latter’s FBO locations at John Wayne Airport (KSNA) in Orange County and Van Nuys Airport (KVNY) in Los Angeles. 

According to the partners, their intent is to cover the broad needs of all AAM operators rather than a single standard. Overair, for example, is one of many eVTOL manufacturers that signed onto the General Aviation Manufacturers Association’s (GAMA) endorsement of the combined charging system (CCS) standard for electric aviation.

CCS is designed to support all electric vehicles, ground or air. It’s the most widely used global standard for electric ground vehicles but is steadily losing out to Tesla’s North American charging system (NACS) alternative. For air taxis, Joby Aviation is pushing its global electric aviation charging system (GEACS) as the industry standard.

A pair of CCS supporters—Archer Aviation and Beta Technologies—have publicly clashed with Joby over which system should be adopted universally. Clay Lacy Aviation, however, intends to build infrastructure that fits both proposals.

“Clay Lacy Aviation is committed to installing the electrical infrastructure to support all makes and models of electric aircraft, both fixed wing and eVTOL, to encourage the adoption of electric flight,” Cutshall told FLYING. “In planning our new FBO development at John Wayne Airport, we are speaking with multiple OEMs and our local utility provider to ensure that the electric infrastructure we build out can support both CCS and GEACS charging protocols.”

Joby this week agreed to install GEACS chargers in the New York City region, following a partnership with Atlantic Aviation to electrify FBO terminals in New York and Los Angeles. Both Archer and Beta also signed partnerships with Atlantic to add CCS systems at other company locations. Joby will also install a GEACS charger at Clay Lacy Aviation’s John Wayne FBO.

It’s possible that one system will entirely supplant the other as OEMs and operators pick a side—a scenario that appears to be unfolding in the U.S. electric ground vehicle industry. But whether CCS or GEACS wins out, Clay Lacy Aviation intends to be able to serve both.

Overair’s agreement with Clay Lacy Aviation comes on the heels of similar arrangements with Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (KDFW) and the city of Arlington, Texas, to launch AAM services in the North Texas region. The manufacturer plans to deliver aircraft to customers in India and South Korea, working with local partners to develop infrastructure and operational plans.

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Lockheed Martin-backed Electra.aero on Tuesday announced that it topped 2,000 preorder sales for its flagship eSTOL design, an order book the manufacturer values at over $8 billion once fully realized. The nine-seat aircraft is unique, even among electric designs, because of its ability to take off or land with just 150 feet of runway.

Electra reached the milestone after wrapping up three sizable agreements. In December, Finnish on-demand flying platform Lygg agreed to buy up to 300 eSTOLs in a deal valued at over $1 billion. Lygg operators, which mainly serve airports outside Nordic and European metropolises, will be able to purchase the aircraft through a hybrid-as-a-service model, which offers financing.

“Electra’s eSTOL capability allows us to rewrite the definition of direct connections for environmentally conscious business travelers using existing airfields closer to city centers, reducing valuable time spent in the air,” said Roope Kekäläinen, CEO of Lygg.

The company’s order book expanded again last week, when Indian private charter marketplace JetSetGo placed firm orders for 50 aircraft apiece from Electra, Overair, and Horizon Aircraft. Electra will work with the firm, which operates India’s largest on-demand fleet, to identify new routes that can leverage the eSTOL’s unique capabilities.

“India’s geography and demographics make it an ideal launch market for advanced air mobility (AAM),” said Kanika Tekriwal, co-founder and CEO of JetSetGo. “We want to lead the transformation of urban and regional connectivity and believe Electra is the right partner with the technology to make this vision a reality.”

The third agreement, with New York City-based helicopter tour operator Charm Aviation, had not been previously announced. Electra did not disclose the number of aircraft included in Charm’s order, but it said the operator will introduce the eSTOL to heliports and vertiports in bustling Manhattan.

“Electra’s aircraft has the range to transform New York City’s heliports from urban flight terminals into regional transport hubs with direct flights to cities and smaller communities along the East Coast,” said Marc Ausman, chief product officer of Electra.

The Aircraft

Electra says its eSTOL represents the first use of blown lift technology using distributed electric propulsion. Blown lift—which redirects slipstream flows over the aircraft’s wings into large flaps and ailerons—is what allows the design to take off from sites smaller than a soccer field.

Flaps and ailerons redirect the airflows downward to provide lift that would normally be achieved through high-speed takeoff. This, Electra says, allows the eSTOL to get airborne at “neighborhood driving speeds,” shortening the runway requirement and opening up operations out of remote or underutilized airfields.

The aircraft has a range of about 434 nm and a cruise speed of 175 knots, capable of carrying nine passengers or up to 2,500 pounds of cargo. Compared to vertical takeoff designs, it offers more than twice the payload, 10 times the range, and 70 percent lower operating costs, Electra claims.

Those benefits stem in part from distributed electric propulsion, wherein a small turbogenerator drives eight electric motors spread across the wing. Electra says this reduces emissions (by 30 percent) and noise (75 dBA at 300 feet, equivalent to a vacuum cleaner) below those of traditional airplanes or rotorcraft.

Since the aircraft uses hybrid power to fuel up—and to recharge its batteries during flight—airports won’t need electric charging infrastructure to accommodate it. That could be a crucial advantage for Electra when it comes time for the company to scale.

The eSTOL’s fixed-wing, rigid-propeller configuration—which eliminates hover and transition flight—gives it a path to be certified as a multiengine, Level 3, low-speed airplane under FAA Part 23. That means it could be flown with a standard pilot’s certificate in the airplane category.

In addition to passenger transport, on-demand urban air mobility services, and defense applications, Electra expects the eSTOL to handle cargo logistics, executive transport, humanitarian aid, disaster response, and a variety of other use cases. Its commercial launch is planned for 2028.

Topping the 2,000 preorder mark reflects the steady momentum Electra has enjoyed in recent months. That began in August with the announcement of fresh financing from climate tech fund Statkraft Ventures and the U.S. Air Force, the latter taking the form of an $85 million contract to develop and test a full-scale prototype. The following month, Electra completed the maiden voyage of its EL-2 Goldfinch demonstrator, marking the first flight for a hybrid eSTOL design.

December brought with it a major agreement with JSX, one of the world’s premier regional air carriers, which ordered as many as 330 hybrid-electric models. Those include 32 firm orders and 50 options for Electra’s nine-seater. The same month, customer Bristow Group placed a deposit for five early delivery slots for its 2021 order of up to 50 aircraft, representing one of Electra’s firmest commitments to date.

Bristow is expected to be Electra’s principal launch operational customer. The company at launch also has agreements to fly in the Middle East, Asia, Latin America, and Australia, among other locations.

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JetSetGo, an Indian marketplace for private jet and helicopter charters that also operates its own fleet, on Friday announced strategic partnerships with Horizon Aircraft, Overair, and Electra.aero to order as many as 280 aircraft, which would value the deal at a whopping $1.3 billion. 

Each of the electric or hybrid-electric aircraft will bring unique capabilities to JetSetGo’s fleet, which comprises five midsize Hawkers and six other aircraft, ranging from large cabin jets to helicopters.

Horizon’s vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) Cavorite X7 and Electra’s ultra-short takeoff and landing (STOL) nine-seater—both hybrid-electric designs—will be the first to fly JetSetGo routes since they can utilize existing infrastructure, the company said. Overair’s Butterfly electric VTOL (eVTOL) air taxi will follow as Indian cities add the necessary infrastructure, such as charging stations.

The three designs will offer an “optimal mix” for five use cases identified by JetSetGo: airport transfers, regional connectivity, intercity commute, intracity shuttles, and urban air taxis. The company says India—which is plagued by road congestion issues, infrastructure challenges, and aviation emissions—will make an “ideal testbed” for AAM services.

“Our partnership with these three leading innovators will introduce unique technologies like ‘blown lift’ and ‘fan-in-wing’ lift systems, hybrid and electric propulsion, and super-quiet optimal speed tilt rotors to India,” said Kanika Tekriwal, co-founder and CEO of JetSetGo. “We want to lead the transformation of urban and regional connectivity and believe we have the right partners and technologies to make this vision a reality.”

The agreements lock JetSetGo into 150 firm orders—50 from each manufacturer—for a combined $780 million. But all three contracts include the option for it to acquire more aircraft.

Horizon, which announced its agreement earlier this week, will ship an initial batch of 50 Cavorite X7s to JetSetGo for $250 million. The firm has the option to acquire 50 more, which would double that deal’s value. Overair and Electra did not specify the initial order value or  number of options JetSetGo could acquire.

Horizon founder and CEO Brandon Robinson characterizes the company’s X7 as a “normal” aircraft with eVTOL capabilities, rather than an eVTOL with features of a traditional airplane. It uses a patented “fan-in-wing” configuration, similar to the Lilium Jet: 14 electric ducted fans are embedded in the wing to provide lift. During cruise, movable surfaces cover the fans.

The X7’s mix of features from traditional and electric aircraft make it something of an amalgamation. It can take off vertically or conventionally from the runway, for example, and a gas-powered range extender can charge its batteries during cruise. The air taxi won’t reduce emissions as much as all-electric designs, but Horizon says it will offer greater range, speed, and payload.

“This evolution will serve as a catalyst to accelerate our growth by providing the resources to continue the development and testing of our practical, real-world-use hybrid eVTOL, the Cavorite X7,” said Robinson.

Like the X7, Overair’s Butterfly offers some unique capabilities. The eVTOL deploys two technologies the firm says have never been integrated on an eVTOL design: optimum speed tilt rotor (OSTR) and individual blade control (IBC).

OSTR, which varies propeller revolutions per minute during vertical, forward, and transition flight, acts as a power saver, reducing energy demand in hover by as much as 60 percent. IBC, which is being researched by the U.S. Navy, limits the vibration of each blade to reduce propeller load and enable safer, smoother flights.

The combination of OSTR and IBC produces efficient, quiet propulsion through nearly any weather, temperature, or altitude, Overair says. Butterfly also features four oversized rotors, large cabin, and payload of about 1,100 pounds—enough for five passengers and their luggage. The company says it is ideal for passenger, medical, cargo, and military applications.

“Butterfly will provide a safe, quiet, and efficient mobility solution for urban and regional transport across the broadest range of weather conditions and geographic environments,”  said Valerie Manning, chief commercial officer at Overair. “In addition, the associated advanced air mobility ecosystem will create a multitude of jobs and fuel economic growth.”

As the lone all-electric VTOL manufacturer included in JetSetGo’s agreements, Overair will also support its new customer with infrastructure advisement, pilot training, infrastructure and software integration, operational guidance, and vertiport software integration.

Electra’s nine-seat design is also all-electric, but it won’t require VTOL infrastructure to get flying. The eSTOL design needs just 150 feet of runway for takeoff—that’s enabled through a unique technology called blown-lift, which allows the aircraft to take off at speeds as slow as a car driving through a residential neighborhood.

The eSTOL has a range of 500 nm and can carry up to 2,500 pounds of cargo. Compared to vertical takeoff alternatives, Electra claims the model offers more than twice the payload, 10 times the range, and 70 percent lower operating costs.

“Our aircraft’s unique ability to operate from soccer field-sized spaces, with the capacity to transport nine passengers up to 500 miles enables JetSetGo to identify new routes using eSTOL capability and deliver sustainable, affordable air connections to India’s communities previously underserved by flight,” said Marc Ausman, chief product officer of Electra.

Electra’s design was part of another massive hybrid-electric aircraft order from Dallas-based regional air carrier JSX. In December, the semiprivate operator signed letters of intent to acquire as many as 332 aircraft, including 32 firm orders and 50 options from Electra. JSX will also purchase Aura Aero’s Era and Heart Aerospace’s ES-30.

Several other American operators, including Surf Air Mobility and Bristow Group, have agreed to order or retrofit hybrid-electric designs as they seek to introduce new, sustainable, and potentially more cost-effective aircraft to their routes. In India, meanwhile, travel conglomerate InterGlobe in November agreed to purchase as many as 200 Midnight air taxis from Archer Aviation.

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Overair, maker of the Butterfly eVTOL air taxi, said Tuesday that it completed the build of its first full-scale prototype aircraft, which is set to begin flight testing early next year. The company will start with vehicle-level testing at its Santa Ana, California, headquarters before moving the aircraft to its flight test facility in nearby Victorville.

Early tests will aim to validate different aspects of Butterfly’s technology: propulsion systems, flight control mechanics, safety features, and operational efficiency, to name a few. Overair will also evaluate how the aircraft meets its noise target (55 decibels) and performance envelope under an array of flight and weather conditions.

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. Those criteria will be assessed in future “for credit” testing under the regulator’s watchful eye. The company expects Butterfly to enter service in 2028, in line with the FAA’s timeline for early advanced air mobility (AAM) operations.

“Assembling our first full-scale prototype vehicle marks the culmination of years of industry expertise, meticulous development planning, innovative engineering, and the hard work of the entire Overair team,” said Ben Tigner, CEO of Overair. “This seamless transition from propulsion testing to a full-scale prototype underscores our dedication to redefining the eVTOL landscape with safer, quieter, and more reliable aircraft.”

Butterfly deploys two technologies Overair says have never been integrated on an eVTOL design: optimum speed tilt rotor (OSTR) and individual blade control (IBC).

The OSTR system is essentially a power saver. Throughout vertical, transition, and forward flight, it varies propeller revolutions per minute, which Overair says boosts efficiency. The company claims OSTR reduces power demand in hover by as much as 60 percent.

IBC, meanwhile, reduces propeller loads by limiting the vibration of each blade, which the firm says results in safer, smoother, lower-cost flights. Last week, the technology was awarded a U.S. Navy Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract, which will see it developed for potential Navy use. 

Matt Rhinehart, aeromechanics senior engineer of the Naval Air Systems Command, said IBC opens up a long list of potential benefits for the Navy’s “next generation of rotorcraft.”

Overair claims Butterfly’s combination of OSTR and IBC produces efficient, quiet propulsion in nearly any weather, temperature, or altitude. In addition, the design features four oversized rotors, a large cabin, and a payload of about 1,100 pounds—enough for five passengers and their luggage. The company says Butterfly is ideal for passenger, medical, cargo, and military applications.

“Since day one, Overair has been committed to developing an aircraft that extends efficient air transportation to a broader audience; an aircraft that will be welcomed by local communities, passengers, and operators alike,” said Valerie Manning, chief commercial officer at Overair. “Our prototype is where we begin real-world, full-scale validation of these fundamental design principles.”

As Overair rolls out its first full-scale prototype, it joins a handful of other eVTOL air taxi manufacturers to reach that stage. Archer Aviation was one of the first in the U.S. to hit the milestone, completing the build of its first Midnight prototype in May. Joby Aviation in June rolled out its initial production prototype, following the introduction of its full-scale preproduction model in 2019. Both firms have begun flight testing.

Germany’s Volocopter, meanwhile, has assembled two prototypes: the two-seat VoloCity and the larger VoloConnect. Another German manufacturer, Lilium, started building its first Lilium Jet this month, while Embraer subsidiary Eve Air Mobility expects to complete a full-scale prototype by year’s end.

Once Butterfly makes it through the gauntlet of FAA certification tasks, Overair plans to deploy it in a few key markets.

In November, the company announced partnerships with Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (KDFW) and the city of Arlington, Texas, to launch air taxi flights out of DFW Airport and Arlington Municipal Airport (KGKY). No firm commitment has been made to purchase aircraft, but the partners plan to introduce vertiports, charging stations, and new policies to the region to build a full-fledged AAM ecosystem. Eventually, it’s expected to span the entire Dallas-Fort Worth metro area and North Texas region.

In addition to those agreements, Overair has a partnership with helicopter operator Bristow Group, which placed a preorder for 20 to 50 Butterflys. Bristow plans to fly the eVTOL on commercial air taxi routes in its service areas, including several cities in and around Texas.

Farther to the west, Overair and several other eVTOL manufacturers are working with Urban Movement Labs, a Los Angeles government-community transportation partnership. It expects to highlight Butterfly during the city’s 2028 Olympic Games, alongside other players.

Overair in October also agreed to deliver 20 aircraft to South Korean helicopter transportation provider HeliKorea. The partnership followed plans to launch services on Jeju, the country’s largest island and a major tourist destination.

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Now for this week’s top story:

SpaceX’s Starship Could Fly Again This Week

What happened? It’s official: The FAA has cleared SpaceX’s Starship rocket and Super Heavy booster—which stacked together stand 400 feet tall—for a second test flight. In case you forgot, the spacecraft’s maiden voyage began and ended in flames, grounding Starship while the FAA investigated. Now, it has a modified launch license, and SpaceX expects it to fly on Saturday.

Cleared for takeoff: The FAA closed its investigation into Starship’s inaugural flight—which scattered ash and debris as far as 6 miles away from SpaceX’s launch pad in Boca Chica, Texas—in September. And on Wednesday afternoon, the agency wrapped up its license evaluation, greenlighting Starship for one more launch.

With a fresh license, Starship could launch as early as Friday, Musk said on his social media platform X (formerly Twitter), though the SpaceX boss hasn’t enjoyed a great track record when it comes to predicting the next flight. SpaceX on Thursday shared images of the rocket and booster stacked on the launch pad, but the launch how now been delayed to Saturday.

High stakes: A lot is riding on the success of Starship’s initial test flights, including several NASA moon missions. Last time, the rocket exploded just four minutes into its predicted 90-minute flight. But the next launch will debut a hot-stage separation system and a thrust vector control system for Super Heavy’s 33 Raptor engines, which should help.

The other major change SpaceX made was adding a water-cooled steel plate, a type of flame trench, to the launch pad. Flame trenches and water deluge systems are common on launch pads because they shield key infrastructure from the force of a launch, but Musk said SpaceX’s lacked one because it “wasn’t ready in time.”

Quick quote: “The FAA has given license authorization for the second launch of the SpaceX Starship Super Heavy vehicle. The FAA determined SpaceX met all safety, environmental, policy, and financial responsibility requirements,” the agency said in a statement.

My take: Is Starship moving too fast too soon? SpaceX is known for its “rapid iterative development” approach, which has seen Starlink satellites and Crew Dragon capsules flying for years already. But while Starship is moving much slower than those projects, Musk might be smart to pump the brakes.

A second Starship explosion could be catastrophic, not only for SpaceX (and the surrounding environment) but for NASA. The space agency has enlisted the company to build several variants of the spacecraft for the Artemis moon mission program, and it’s hoping SpaceX can complete an uncrewed demonstration flight to the lunar surface in 2024 or 2025. Already, there are concerns that the deadline won’t be met, forcing delays to NASA’s timeline.

The next test flight could go perfectly. But an explosion—and another FAA investigation—would be devastating to the campaign. The time pressure is obviously a factor. But SpaceX could be better off waiting and getting this right, rather than pushing to launch as soon as possible.

Deep dive: SpaceX’s Starship Cleared for Second Takeoff After Obtaining Modified Launch License from FAA 

In Other News…

Joby’s Electric Air Taxi Takes Flight in New York City

What happened? Not only did Joby fly its electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxi in the Big Apple for the first time—the flight was the city’s first for an eVTOL design. New York City Mayor Eric Adams attended the event at the Downtown Heliport (KJRB) in Manhattan, which also featured a demonstration flight from German eVTOL manufacturer Volocopter.

Visions of the future: While Joby and other eVTOL manufacturers have done most of their flying in sparsely populated rural areas, urban jungles like New York City will be the advanced air mobility (AAM) industry’s cash cow. The idea is to replace ground-based rideshare services, such as Uber or Lyft, with short-hop flights over congested city streets.

New York is expected to be one of Joby’s first launch markets, where it will fly in partnership with Delta Air Lines. The companies are now working with local organizations such as the Port Authority of New York to plan initial operations and build infrastructure at John F. Kennedy International Airport (KJFK) and LaGuardia Airport (KLGA), the city’s two largest airfields.

Deep dive: Joby Performs First eVTOL Test Flights in New York

Skyryse’s Automated Autorotation Tech Lands Guinness World Record

What happened? Helicopter engine failures are relatively rare. But Skyryse wants to remove most chances of a hard landing in the few cases where they happen. The company last week completed the first fully automated autorotation for an emergency landing using a tech-equipped Robinson R66—a feat certified by Guinness World Records.

Keep it simple: Pilots practice autorotation during rotorcraft training often, but that doesn’t make the process any less complex. A manual autorotation involves four steps—each with multiple maneuvers—that require action to be taken in a matter of seconds. If done incorrectly or too late, the aircraft will come down hard and fast.

Skyryse wants to keep it simple. During last week’s flight, all the pilot had to do was press a button—automation handled the rest. Already, the company has received an Airbus A130 helicopter from partner Air Methods that it plans to retrofit with its tech. But the firm says its system can be installed on any kind of aircraft—not just rotorcraft.

Deep Dive: Skyryse’s Automated Autorotation Tech Lands Guinness World Record

And a Few More Headlines:

• We’ve got another world’s first—Elroy Air said it completed the first flight of a turbine-powered, hybrid-electric cargo drone.

• Honeywell said its AAM business has now racked up $10 billion worth of contracts.

• Electric air taxi manufacturer Overair partnered with DFW Airport and Arlington, Texas, to bring AAM services to the region.

• Airbus U.S. Space and Defense added a military drone business line, which it said will develop aircraft for the U.S. DOD.

• Rolls-Royce confirmed all of its current turbine engines can run on 100 percent SAF.

Spotlight on…

Samson Sky

In a week full of first flights, there’s one we still haven’t talked about yet. 

I’ve featured Samson Sky, the maker of the Switchblade flying sports car, in this spot before. But the company is worth another look following Switchblade’s maiden voyage on November 9. A prototype of the street-legal aircraft flew at 500 feet for nearly six minutes, marking the first test flight for the next generation of flying cars.

The use case for Switchblade is fascinating. Samson expects some customers not to fly at all, and no pilot certificate is required to purchase and drive it on the highway. But with a private pilot sign off, owners can drive the vehicle to the airport, unfold its wings and tail with the push of a button, and take off from the runway like an airplane. And importantly, Switchblade’s hybrid-electric engine runs on unleaded automotive gas rather than 100LL, allowing owners to fuel it at an automotive gas station.

Samson is still a long way from commercializing the flying sports car. But Switchblade’s first flight represented a major milestone and proving ground for its technology. If it can keep progressing, perhaps Samson will be the first to answer the increasingly popular catchphrase, “Where’s my flying car?”

Deep Dive: Switchblade Flying Sports Car Prototype Makes Maiden Flight

On the Horizon…

The American drone industry is growing, but U.S. stakeholders and lawmakers would like to see it grow faster. 

This week, members of the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) met with drone manufacturers Skydio, Vision Aerial, Brinc Drones, Red Cat, and Easy Aerial to ring in the organization’s Partnership for Drone Competitiveness. Launched in September, the partnership is a coalition meant to bolster the U.S. drone industry and is supported by several other manufacturers, including AeroVironment, Draganfly, and DroneUp.

Also in attendance were U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and Representative Dina Titus (D-Nev.), and the event was met with support from Senator Mark Warner (D-Va.), who has sponsored several drone-related bills, such as the Increasing Competitiveness for American Drones Act. AUVSI said it also held productive meetings with Senators Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.). Keep an eye on the legislation those lawmakers introduce.

Speaking of introduced legislation, Senator Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) this week introduced the No ICBMs (intercontinental ballistic missiles) or Drones for Iran Act, which takes aim at Iran’s production of long-range missiles and drones through sanctions. Representative Elise Stefanik (D-N.Y.) is introducing a companion bill in the House.

The results of sanctions against various international entities have been a mixed bag, but lawmakers are clearly looking for ways to stifle Iranian (and Russian) drone production. Iran is known to supply Russia with aircraft like the Shahed 136 kamikaze drone, and it’s thought to be aiding Hamas militants with drone tech used against Israel.

Moving from the sky to space, the White House on Wednesday laid out possible regulations for private space stations, space junk removal, and authority over novel space activities and infrastructure. Under the proposal, several U.S. agencies, including the Departments of Commerce and Transportation and the Federal Communications Commission, would have responsibilities in different areas, such as passenger safety or launch and reentry.

The House Science Committee, meanwhile, delayed its vote on the Commercial Space Act of 2023, which would update government oversight of human spaceflight and other commercial activities. It’ll be a crucial piece of legislation for Virgin Galactic, Blue Origin, and other companies looking to ferry passengers to the edge of the atmosphere.

Mark Your Calendars

Each week, I’ll be running through a list of upcoming industry events. The Dubai Airshow wraps up Friday in the United Arab Emirates, but here are a few conferences to keep an eye on:

• Advanced Air Mobility Summit 2023—November 20-21 in Lisbon, Portugal
• ICAO Drone Enable—December 5-7 in Montreal
• 11th Annual eVTOL Symposium—February 6-8 in Silicon Valley, California
• Drone Show Korea 2024—March 6-8 in Busan, South Korea
• World’s Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Conference—March 17-19 in Jerusalem
• AUVSI Xponential 2024—April 22-25 in San Diego 
• Vertical Flight Society’s Forum 80—May 7-9 in Montreal

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On Thursday, Santa Ana, California-based Overair announced a pair of partnerships to bring a much larger kind of emerging aircraft to the area: electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxis. The manufacturer plans to launch advanced air mobility (AAM) operations out of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (KDFW) and Arlington Municipal Airport (KGKY), with plans to expand the services throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area.

Overair intends to bring not just eVTOL aircraft but also vertiports, charging stations, and new policies to the region, with an eye toward building a full-fledged AAM ecosystem—one that could last years into the future.

The company signed a memorandum of understanding with DFW Airport that calls on the partners to gauge the development of vertiports and eVTOL aircraft operations across North Texas. The agreement includes a “feasibility assessment” of passenger air taxi operations, which will evaluate regional demand and scenarios for air taxi flights in and out of vertiports.

Overair’s flagship Butterfly aircraft was designed with that use case in mind. The air taxi is capable of flying a pilot and up to five passengers on zero-emission, 100 sm (87 nm) trips at a cruise speed of about 174 knots.

“DFW Airport has a long history of building the groundwork today for the airport needs of the future,” said Paul Puopolo, executive vice president of innovation for the airport. “By exploring the future of aviation now, we will help better position the entire DFW metroplex for the next era of innovative air mobility.”

The agreement will also create a joint working group between the partners, which will dig into the policies and infrastructure required to integrate AAM into the region long term. In addition, it will assess Butterfly’s operational procedures: approach, landing, taxiing, charging, takeoff, departure, safety protocols, and loading and unloading passengers, to name a few.

“[Thursday’s] agreement is a major step toward bringing AAM to one of the world’s largest and fastest growing metropolitan areas,” said Valerie Manning, chief commercial officer of Overair. “We look forward to working closely with DFW to ensure the more than 8 million people living throughout this region, along with the millions of visitors per year, will have easy access to safe, fast, affordable, and eco-friendly travel options.”

Separately, Overair announced a collaboration with Arlington, Texas, which it said is the first direct partnership between a Texas city and an eVTOL manufacturer. Similar to the agreement with DFW Airport, Overair will work with the city to offer air taxi services regionwide, starting with flights out of Arlington Municipal.

Those initial trips are expected to fly passengers in and out of the city’s entertainment district, which is home to a pair of Six Flags amusement parks, a quartet of professional sports teams, and a plethora of restaurants, shopping centers, museums, and event venues.

The agreement calls for Overair to add vertiports and electric aircraft chargers to the region in addition to air taxis. It will also see the company set up a base of operations in North Central Texas, which is expected to bring new jobs to residents.

“This partnership with Overair not only advances the city of Arlington as a leader in implementing innovative transportation solutions, it also provides high-tech and engineering jobs to our residents and the community at large—ultimately creating a new mobility ecosystem that will provide socioeconomic progress for decades to come,” said Arlington Mayor Jim Ross.

Like the agreement with DFW Airport, the collaboration between Overair and Arlington includes a feasibility study and the formation of a joint working group, which will oversee the project to make sure key milestones are met on schedule.

“[Thursday’s] announcement is a major step toward positioning Arlington as one of the first cities in the world to integrate fully electric AAM capabilities into its transportation ecosystem,” said Manning. “Electric AAM is an example of transportation evolving with the needs of a growing society. We are incredibly excited to help drive this transportation evolution in north central Texas and to expand our presence in this region, known for its talent and technology.”

Laying the Foundation

Overair is targeting service with Butterfly in 2028. As of October, it was working with the FAA on its G-1 Stage 3 means of compliance. But to get to scaled air taxi operations, the right infrastructure will need to be in place.

Currently, the DFW region has one large vertiport—the Dallas Central Business District Vertiport (49T) at Dallas Executive Airport (KRBD). Another site is being developed by Volatus Infrastructure at Greenport International Airport, a “green airport” project under construction outside Austin. Vertiport firm Ferrovial, meanwhile, recently moved its headquarters to the Dallas-Fort Worth suburb of Irving.

Those projects could give Overair a baseline level of infrastructure, but it will certainly need more to expand AAM services regionwide. Electric charging stations are the other key piece of that puzzle—it’s unclear whether the firm will build those systems itself or if it will partner with a manufacturer like Beta Technologies, which recently sold several chargers to Archer Aviation.

In addition to Thursday’s agreements with the DFW airport and the city of Arlington, Overair has a partnership with helicopter operator Bristow Group, based a few hundred miles south in Houston. Bristow placed a preorder for 20 to 50 Butterflys and plans to fly the eVTOL on commercial air taxi routes in its service areas, which include several cities in and around Texas.

Farther to the west, Overair and several other eVTOL manufacturers are working with Urban Movement Labs, a Los Angeles government-community transportation partnership. It plans to launch in the city in the future and will highlight Butterfly during the city’s 2028 Olympic Games, alongside other players.

More recently, the manufacturer agreed to deliver 20 aircraft to South Korean helicopter transportation provider HeliKorea. It also plans to launch services on Jeju, the country’s largest island and a major tourist destination.

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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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The companies—including Airbus, Ampaire, Archer Aviation, BETA Technologies, Bye Aerospace, Eve Air Mobility, Joby Aviation, Lilium, Overair, Signature Flight Support, Skyports, Supernal LLC, Vertical Aerospace, Wisk Aero, and ZeroAvia—say that while sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) are “an immediate solution to decarbonize the sector,” it is vital to also invest in future aircraft technology.

• READ MORE: Is Los Angeles Becoming a Battleground for eVTOLs?

“The world is currently experiencing the most exciting time in aviation since the dawn of the jet age,” the companies said in their letter. “Recently, the White House correctly recognized this by listing net-zero aviation technologies as one of five priorities in its ‘U.S. Innovation to Meet 2050 Climate Goals’ for the newly formed Zero Emissions Game Changes Initiative.” 

The companies attested that the technologies they represent “provide the first and best long-term path to achieving net zero aviation emissions.” They noted that “electric, hybrid-electric and hydrogen aircraft will begin commercial operations as soon as 2024 and provide the aviation industry its first net-zero operations” for short haul, regional and long-haul flights.”

The companies also stressed the need to develop new infrastructure specifically designed for zero-emission aircraft and keep pace with advancements made in other countries.

“Other nations around the world have begun to heavily invest in zero-emissions technologies because of the environmental and societal benefits that will accompany them. The United Kingdom’s Aerospace Technology Institute announced a 685 million pound investment over three years specifically for zero emission technologies.

The European Union and its member states have also committed over a billion euros in Investment,” the letter reads.

The companies said that by embracing new technology the U.S. could create jobs while helping to decarbonize the aviation sector. “Since the dawn of flight, the United States has led the world in the research, development, and advancement of flight. In part, this has led to the aerospace and defense sector being the number one exporting sector annually.”

In the future the U.S. could maintain its leadership by prioritizing zero-emissions aviation, the companies said, noting that they “stand willing and ready to engage and assist in supporting this leadership.”

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