Ultra short aircraft manufacturer Electra on Monday announced that it completed successful demonstration flights of its EL-2 Goldfinch prototype at Marine Corps Air Facility Quantico (KNYG) and Felker Army Airfield (KFAF) at Joint Base Langley-Eustis (KLFI) in Virginia. U.S. Army, Navy, and Air Force personnel were present for the demonstrations, which were the first Electra has performed for the military, the firm told FLYING.

Electra’s nine-passenger design has garnered contracts from the Air Force, Army, and Navy, which view it as a potential game-changer for military resupply missions, tactical insertions, and medical evacuations. The firm is also backed by Lockheed Martin.

The demonstrations at Joint Base Langley-Eustis were conducted under a strategic funding increase (STRATFI) agreement with AFWERX, the Air Force’s innovation arm, worth up to $85 million. AFWERX offers a quid pro quo arrangement, providing electric aircraft manufacturers and other developers of novel aviation technology with a sandbox in which to mature their systems. In return, the military gets early access to non-commercially available designs.

“This aircraft’s efficient, quiet, and sustainable operations align with military objectives for contested and expeditionary logistics,” said Jacob Wilson, acting branch chief of AFWERX’s Agility Prime division dedicated to electric and autonomous models. “Its hybrid-electric propulsion system provides extended range and endurance, making it suitable for Agile Combat Employment missions in austere locations with compromised or nonexistent runways.”

The Goldfinch uses a unique blown-lift mechanism to amplify lift, allowing it to take off at what the company describes as neighborhood driving speeds. This reduces the vehicle’s runway requirement to just 150 feet, allowing it to operate from locations with a closed or damaged runway, including ships or barges.

Electra test pilot Cody Allee took the Goldfinch through a series of grass field takeoffs and landings, with no ground infrastructure required. The company describes the aircraft as a “mobile power generator” offering 600 kilowatts of continuous power, capable of reaching 1 megawatt in “short bursts.” According to the firm, its fuel consumption is one-third that of helicopters performing the same mission.

Allee flew 150-foot radius turns to showcase the aircraft’s maneuverability at low speed and altitude. The test pilot also helped demonstrate a mobile power generation display, using the aircraft’s power supply to fire up its own sound system and preflight presentation equipment.

“These flight demonstrations mark a significant milestone for Electra as we show the capabilities of the technology in the real-world,” said JP Stewart, vice president and general manager of Electra. “Our ultra short aircraft make it possible to operate from austere locations previously only reachable by helicopters, with 70 percent lower costs and very quiet operations.”

Electra in January said it surpassed 2,000 orders for its flagship design, with commercial customers including regional air carrier JSX, helicopter operator Bristow Group, and private charter marketplace JetSetGo. But as the company continues to refine its design, military customers will get their hands on it first.

Like this story? We think you’ll also like the Future of FLYING newsletter sent every Thursday afternoon. Sign up now.

The post U.S. Military Gets First Look at Ultra Short Aircraft appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Hybrid-electric ultra short aircraft manufacturer Electra, which is backed by investors such as Lockheed Martin and Honeywell, on Friday announced Allen’s appointment as CEO. The former Boeing executive will lead the company as it develops an FAA-certified Part 23 aircraft with a runway requirement of just 150 feet for both airline and helicopter operators.

Allen will replace Electra founder and chairman John Langford, who will remain on the company’s board to focus on long-term strategy.

“My passion has always been about building, coaching, and inspiring high-performing teams,” said Allen. “Electra is at the forefront of revolutionizing air travel with its direct aviation model, bringing air travel closer to where we live, work, and play—without airports, emissions, or noise.”

For a young company among a sea of them developing novel electric, ultra short, or vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft designs, securing Allen seems like a big get.

The new Electra boss most recently served as Boeing’s chief strategy officer and senior vice president of strategy and corporate development from October 2020 to December 2023. He oversaw the company’s big picture activities, strategic investments, and acquisitions, including the 2023 restructuring and acquisition of electric air taxi company Wisk Aero.

Allen was also president of Boeing’s Embraer Partnership group, which he planned and led until it was terminated due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. He previously headed the company’s $5 billion customer finance business and led its China business from its Beijing headquarters.

As a member of the firm’s executive council, Allen served as vice president of global law affairs and general counsel for Boeing International. He oversaw company activities across 18 regional offices, working on government affairs, cross-border trade, market development, and other initiatives.

Outside Boeing, Allen is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a think tank specializing in U.S. foreign policy. He is also director of the U.S.-China Business Council and U.S.-India Strategic Partnership Forum, which facilitate trade between American firms and those countries, and a trustee of the Trilateral Commission, which encourages business between North America, Europe, and Asia. He is board chairman of nonprofit International Justice Mission.

Allen was drawn to Electra in part by its proprietary propulsion system, which according to the company allows its aircraft to take off at neighborhood driving speeds. The aircraft uses a unique blown-lift architecture, directing air over the wing and into flaps and ailerons that force it downward, amplifying lift. Like Wisk, which piqued Allen’s interest at Boeing, Electra seeks to introduce entirely new capabilities to the industry.

“The thesis at Electra is that it only makes sense to introduce this novel distributed electric propulsion system if it can do something that you couldn’t otherwise do,” Allen told Reuters. “A totally different set of missions that opens up. You can fly goods between warehouses without ever trucking the goods to the airport. You can just land in the parking lot.”

That kind of utility has drawn attention from the U.S. Army, Navy, and Air Force, which have all contracted Electra to get their hands on its technology before commercial customers. NASA too is interested in what the aircraft can do. According to Electra, it surpassed 2,000 aircraft orders in January, including from customers such as JSX, Bristow Group, and JetSetGo.

Electra completed the first hybrid-electric flight of an ultra short demonstrator, the EL-2 Goldfinch, in November 2023. This year, it made two more key flights, taking off and landing with 170 feet of runway in May and again on a 300-foot grass field in July. The company seeks to certify and introduce its aircraft commercially by 2028.

Like this story? We think you’ll also like the Future of FLYING newsletter sent every Thursday afternoon. Sign up now.

The post Electra Appoints Ex-Boeing Executive as CEO appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

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.

Like this story? We think you’ll also like the Future of FLYING newsletter sent every Thursday afternoon. Sign up now.

The post Air Taxis, Electric Jets, and More in Store for NBAA-BACE appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Electra picked Honeywell to provide the flight control computers and electromechanical actuators for its nine-passenger eSTOL design. In addition, Honeywell said it made a “strategic financial investment” in Electra, the value of which was not disclosed.

“Our ability to preintegrate multiple subsystems will not only help reduce the time it takes to install and integrate these technologies, but it will also enable Electra to expedite and streamline production of its groundbreaking eSTOL aircraft,” said Dave Shilliday, president of Honeywell Aerospace Technologies’ advanced air mobility (AAM) arm.

The company’s AAM business has racked up $10 billion worth of contracts and added customers such as Lilium, Boom Supersonic, and Heart Aerospace.

Electra’s flagship model makes use of a unique blown lift propulsion system, which redirects airflows downward to enable takeoffs at neighborhood driving speeds. The hybrid-electric design is expected to require just 150 feet of runway, with no electric chargers necessary. The manufacturer seeks to achieve certification under FAA Part 23 regulations by 2028.

Honeywell’s compact fly-by-wire flight control computer, which it describes as the “brains” of the aircraft, will be a key piece of Electra’s full-scale model. It is a fraction of the size and weight of typical computers on larger aircraft, the company says, drawing less power by comparison. The technology is intended to reduce turbulence by dynamically adjusting the eSTOL’s electric motors, replacing hydraulics and control cables.

The electromechanical actuators are similarly light and compact despite having 10 percent greater power density than most other actuators on the market, by Honeywell’s estimate. These take electronic commands from the pilot or onboard flight system, convert them to mechanical force, and use it to move control surfaces such as flaps.

The agreement to supply the two components was accompanied by an undisclosed investment from Honeywell Ventures, the firm’s venture capital arm.

“The investment supports collaboration between the two companies, reinforcing Honeywell’s commitment to advanced air mobility and the future of sustainable flight,” Honeywell said Wednesday.

Like this story? We think you’ll also like the Future of FLYING newsletter sent every Thursday afternoon. Sign up now.

The post Honeywell and Electra Agree to Supplier, Investment Deal appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

On Wednesday at the Farnborough International Airshow in the U.K., the company announced it received a preorder for 100 Integrity air taxis from Australia’s Wilbur Air, a recently launched operating subsidiary of eVTOL infrastructure specialist Skyportz.

Skyportz has been developing a network of vertiports—akin to heliports but with electric chargers for eVTOL aircraft—to be built across Australia for the past half decade. Wilbur, which also has plans to fly U.S. manufacturer Electra’s hybrid-electric short takeoff and landing (eSTOL) aircraft, will operate Crisalion’s Integrity across that network.

The zero-emission air taxi, designed to seat as many as five passengers plus a pilot, has an expected range of 80 sm (70 nm) when cruising at about 70 knots with a payload of around 880 pounds.

Its calling card is the company’s FlyFree propulsion system, which comprises 16 motors arranged in two arms on either side of the aircraft and running on lithium-ion batteries.

“Each arm can independently adjust its thrust vector in both pitch and roll, using the differential thrust of the motors,” Crisalion said.

The firm says the patented design is meant to boost stability across phases of flight, including in adverse weather.

Additionally, the aircraft’s interior can be configured to support passenger transport, aerial tourism, logistics, and emergency situations.

Crisalion expects to certify Integrity in 2028 ahead of a 2030 commercial rollout. Wednesday’s preorder agreement is the company’s first in the Australian market.

Skyportz on its website displays a large map of potential hubs in its planned vertiport network, which includes several locations in Europe, Latin America, and the U.S. Those markets may be the next to see Integrity fly under the partnership.

Like this story? We think you’ll also like the Future of FLYING newsletter sent every Thursday afternoon. Sign up now.

The post Spanish Electric Aircraft Manufacturer Secures Preorder in Australia appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The manufacturer’s EL-2 Goldfinch, which first flew in May, got its first off-runway action when it lifted off from a grassy area smaller than 300 feet near a company facility in Manassas, Virginia.

The company has multimillion dollar contracts across the military, with the Air Force, Army, and Navy all exploring the use of eSTOL technology. The relatively cheap, runway-independent aircraft are viewed as an attractive alternative to conventional fixed wing aircraft and rotorcraft

Electra said the demonstrator completed several takeoffs and landings, climbing at a steep angle of 32 degrees. The aircraft did not require electric charging infrastructure, as many electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxis do, because its propulsion unit charges the batteries in flight.

All the while, the Goldfinch produced just 55 decibels of noise, equivalent to the volume of a typical conversation, while flying overhead at 500 feet. Electra says its full-scale design, which will carry nine passengers or up to 2,500 pounds of cargo on trips up to 500 sm (434 nm), will be inaudible from the ground at its typical cruise altitude.

It seeks to certify a full-scale model under FAA Part 23 regulations by 2028.

“eSTOL technologies increase the number of available landing sites by orders of magnitude relative to traditional fixed wing aircraft while providing for higher cruise speeds, lower costs, and lower noise than vertical lift solutions,” said JP Stewart, vice president and general manager of Electra. “These first flights from a field demonstrate the beginnings of this strong capability that we will continue to develop.”

Electra’s eSTOL achieves its incredibly short runway requirement through the use of blown lift propulsion. Airflows are guided over the wing into flaps and ailerons that redirect them toward the ground, adding to thrust from the aircraft’s eight electric motors. This allows the vehicle to take off at what Electra describes as neighborhood driving speeds.

Though the manufacturer has several commercial customers lined up for its flagship design, it also views the eSTOL as ideal for airlift operations and agile combat employment, a U.S. Air Force doctrine that calls for the rapid deployment of assets to dispersed locations.

The military will be its first customer, but Electra in January surpassed 2,000 aircraft preorder sales from private partners including JSX, Bristow Group, and JetSetGo.

Like this story? We think you’ll also like the Future of FLYING newsletter sent every Thursday afternoon. Sign up now.

The post Electra Completes Grass Field Takeoffs With Less Than 300 Feet appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The manufacturer on Wednesday announced that its EL-2 Goldfinch demonstrator—a two-seat version of the design used in testing—achieved its first piloted “ultra-short” takeoff and landing, lifting off with just 170 feet of runway and touching down with under 114 feet ground roll.

During a test campaign, the aircraft, which utilizes a unique blown-lift design, flew as slow as 25 knots during takeoff and landing. It reached an altitude of 6,500 feet and maxed out with a flight time of one hour and 43 minutes.

Flights took place in April and May at Manassas Regional Airport (KHEF) and Warrenton-Fauquier Airport (KHWY) in Virginia and were piloted by Cody Allee, chief technology officer of ABSI Aerospace & Defense and a former U.S. Marine Corps pilot.

“The aircraft handling at low speeds has been exceptional and is matching our analysis well, building confidence in the predicted capability of the nine-passenger product design,” said JP Stewart, vice president and general manager of Electra. “We’ll continue to develop our technologies, including the ‘thrust-by-wire’ flight control system, to allow us to fly even slower on approach and further improve the STOL takeoff and landing performance in the ongoing test campaign.”

Electra’s Goldfinch demonstrator first flew in November during a test to assess aircraft systems and functionality. Teams then began expanding the flight envelope with slower operations and practicing takeoffs, landings, and approaches.

But the initial demonstration of eSTOL maneuvers represents a major milestone for Electra. The company has made the ability to take off from soccer field-sized spaces the calling card of its flagship model, which like the Goldfinch makes use of blown-lift technology.

Electra envisions the eSTOL serving as a quieter, lower-emissions alternative to helicopters, with fewer infrastructure requirements than fully electric aircraft. It is expected to have a range of 500 sm (434 nm) and cruise at 200 mph (175 knots), faster than most rotorcraft. Use cases will range from passenger transport and on-demand urban air mobility services to cargo logistics, humanitarian aid, and disaster response, the manufacturer says.

To amplify lift, eight electric motors on the wing’s leading edge guide air flows over the wing into large flaps and ailerons, which direct them downward. The result, Electra says, is the ability to take off and land at speeds as slow as 35 mph, reducing the runway requirement to one-tenth that of conventional aircraft.

The eSTOL can be flown in hybrid or all-electric mode. It draws power from a combination of a turbogenerator and battery packs, with the former designed to power cruise flight and the latter takeoff and landing. The manufacturer says this keeps fuel burn and maintenance costs low. The turbogenerator—built to support sustainable aviation fuel, e-fuels, and hydrogen—can also charge the batteries during flight, making ground-based charging systems optional.

Electra hopes to introduce the nine-passenger model to the commercial market by 2028 as a multiengine, Level 3, low-speed airplane under FAA Part 23 regulations.

The company in January surpassed 2,000 aircraft preorder sales, with customers including U.S. operators JSX and Bristow Group and India’s JetSetGo. It also has aircraft testing and development contracts with the U.S. Army, Navy, and Air Force, which are exploring potential military use cases for the design.

Like this story? We think you’ll also like the Future of FLYING newsletter sent every Thursday afternoon. Sign up now.

The post Electra Achieves Takeoff, Landing With Under 170 Feet of Runway appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

According to Electra, the aircraft is able to operate with ground rolls of 150 feet, capable of carrying up to nine passengers or 2,500 pounds of cargo, and sports a range of 500 nm.

The company did not announce the contract amount that was awarded under the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) but said it is expected to continue through the end of the year.

“The contract allows Electra to partner with the U.S. Navy and its stakeholders to explore the use cases for Electra’s eSTOL technology, as well as potential aircraft configuration extensions, to enhance the efficiency of delivering military logistics services in environments with minimal infrastructure or other operational challenges,” Electra spokesperson Barbara Zadina told FLYING.

• READ MORE: Electra.aero Nabs $1.9M Army Contract for Electric Aircraft Testing

The contract announcement comes days after the company reported the U.S. Army had issued a $1.9 million contract to experiment with the hybrid-electric aircraft to perform powered wind tunnel testing.

“With our differentiated combination of hybrid-electric propulsion and a blown fixed wing, we can offer Pacific theater-relevant payloads and ranges, and the ability to operate from rough, soccer-field-sized spaces as well as many naval vessels and adjacent assets, all from day one,”  Ben Marchionna, Electra’s director of technology and innovation, said in a statement. 

• READ MORE: Electra.aero Surpasses 2000 Orders for Hybrid-Electric Aircraft

In addition to logistic utility, the company said the eSTOL aircraft could also enable expeditionary power generation, mesh networking, and potentially serve as an essential node for Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) employment.

“These are all game changers for force modernization initiatives within the Navy and Marine Corps,” Marchionna said.

The post Navy to Explore Use of eSTOL Aircraft, Issues Contract to Electra appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The Army on Thursday awarded a $1.9 million Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract to Electra.aero, the manufacturer of a nine-passenger, hybrid-electric short takeoff and landing (eSTOL) design, to perform powered wind tunnel testing.

Similar to Electra’s other SBIR and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBTT) Phase II and III engagements with AFWERX, the innovation arm of the U.S. Air Force, the Army contract is a quid-pro-quo arrangement.

Electra will get the opportunity to leverage military test facilities as it collects data that will inform aircraft design and development. The Army, meanwhile, can explore the eSTOL’s unique capabilities—such as its miniscule runway requirement—for logistics operations in “contested” environments.

“There is a substantial benefit to employing the right-sized aircraft for a given payload-range mission,” said Ben Marchionna, director of technology and innovation at Electra. “Many of the most commonly deployed military logistics solutions in use today are flown well below their intended payload capacity. Our eSTOL aircraft can fulfill these missions while using dramatically less fuel, providing much more range, operating at significantly reduced noise levels, and utilizing the same constrained operational ground footprints.”

According to Electra, the eSTOL cruises at 175 knots and is capable of carrying up to nine passengers or 2,500 pounds of cargo. The company claims it will have more than twice the payload, 10 times the range, and 70 percent lower operating costs compared to electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) alternatives, while offering lower noise and fuel consumption.

The aircraft has a range of 500 nm for commercial use cases. But with range extensions, the Army will be able to fly it for 1,000 nm.

The defining feature of Electra’s design is its use of blown-lift technology, which redirects slipstream flows over the aircraft’s wings into large flaps and ailerons. By “multiplying lift,” as Electra puts it, the eSTOL can take off at just 35 mph, reducing the runway requirement to 150 feet.

Electra says it is the first manufacturer to deploy blown lift in an aircraft with a distributed electric propulsion system. That system takes the form of eight electric motors powered by a turbogenerator. The latter can run on both electricity or traditional aviation fuel and recharges the aircraft’s batteries in flight. Because of this, airports will not need to install electric aircraft chargers to accommodate it, Electra says.

The manufacturer intends to certify its flagship model as a fixed wing aircraft under FAR Part 23 and EASA CS-23, allowing it to be operated with a standard fixed wing pilot’s certificate. That removes a key hurdle facing the eVTOL industry, which will need to train a new generation of powered-lift-certified pilots under FAA proposals.

The Army will be one of the earliest users of the eSTOL, but Electra has plenty of commercial arrangements lined up. Those include more than 2,000 preorder sales of its flagship aircraft to major customers, among them American operators Bristow Group and JSX and India’s JetSetGo

This week, the manufacturer announced a partnership with Wilbur Air, the newly formed operator subsidiary of Australian vertiport developer Skyportz. Electra and Skyportz in 2021 signed a letter of intent for 100 aircraft.

Electra expects to begin eSTOL deliveries in 2028 following certification.

Like this story? We think you’ll also like the Future of FLYING newsletter sent every Thursday afternoon. Sign up now.

The post Electra.aero Nabs $1.9M Army Contract for Electric Aircraft Testing appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The company over the weekend announced the establishment of Wilbur Air, a wholly owned subsidiary that will operate drones, air taxis, and other electric and hybrid aircraft across the future Skyportz network. 

Wilbur will have “priority access” to vertiport locations being developed across Australia. Several partners will provide aircraft to the new company to enable drone delivery, short- and long-distance passenger travel, and other AAM services.

“Wilbur Air will be establishing operational partnerships across Australia with existing small charter and helicopter companies interested in moving into advanced air mobility and flying under the Wilbur Air brand with priority access to our Skyportz vertiports,” said Clem Newton-Brown, founder and CEO of Skyportz and Wilbur Air.

American manufacturer Electra.aero is the first aircraft partner Wilbur Air has announced. The company and Skyportz signed a letter of intent (LOI) in 2021 for 100 Electra hybrid-electric short takeoff and landing (eSTOL) aircraft.

Even among electric aircraft, Electra’s eSTOL is unique in that it can take off or land in an area as small as a soccer field. According to the manufacturer, it is the first company to deploy blown lift technology using distributed electric propulsion. Blown lift redirects slipstream flows over the aircraft’s wings into large flaps and ailerons, reducing its runway requirement to just 150 feet.

Electra in January said it surpassed 2,000 orders for its flagship aircraft, including large purchase agreements with American operators Bristow Group and JSX and India’s JetSetGo.

“Our sustainable eSTOL aircraft is perfectly suited for Australia’s diverse geography, with its ability to access short airstrips in both urban and remote areas while offering exceptional operational efficiency,” said Marc Ausman, chief product officer of Electra.

Newton-Brown, meanwhile, pointed to the eSTOL’s long range—about 434 nm—as a factor that could open up potential use cases for Wilbur.

Additionally, the aircraft cruises at 175 knots and can carry nine passengers or up to 2,500 pounds of cargo. According to Electra, it has twice the payload, 10 times the range, and 70 percent lower operating costs than designs that take off vertically, such as electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxis.

Another advantage is the eSTOL’s hybrid-electric configuration. Because it uses hybrid power to fuel up and recharge its batteries during flight, airports won’t need electric charging infrastructure to accommodate it.

Electra intends to begin eSTOL deliveries in 2028. The company envisions a wide range of use cases for the aircraft, including passenger transport, on-demand urban air mobility, defense, cargo logistics, executive transport, humanitarian aid, and disaster response.

According to Newton-Brown, Wilbur intends to announce more aircraft partners in the future, expanding its fleet with aircraft that “suit a range of uses that we intend to operate.”

Although Skyportz will give its subsidiary priority access to its network of vertiports, the company’s goal is to “break the nexus between aviation and airports” for other operators. Many AAM infrastructure developers are looking to install vertiports at airports or FBOs, but Newton-Brown believes the industry should reduce its reliance on those sites.

“We are working with governments, air regulators, and communities to establish the parameters for the introduction of vertiport infrastructure and short takeoff and landing runways,” said Newton-Brown. “If all the aircraft do is fly from airports and helipads, then there will be no revolution. We need to start developing vertiports in new locations now.”

Last week, the Australian Association for Uncrewed Systems, the country’s largest AAM industry advocacy group, released its Industry Vision for the integration of eVTOL, eSTOL, drones, and other emerging aircraft into the country’s ecosystem. Like the FAA’s Innovate28 blueprint or U.K. Civil Aviation Authority’s Future of Flight action plan, it seeks to position Australia at the forefront of the AAM industry.

Like this story? We think you’ll also like the Future of FLYING newsletter sent every Thursday afternoon. Sign up now.

The post Vertiport Developer Skyportz to Launch Operations as Wilbur Air appeared first on FLYING Magazine.