Archer and United Airlines announce Chicago air taxi route
Archer Aviation and United Airlines have unveiled details of a commercial electric air taxi route in Chicago, four months after announcing its first route in New York. The new route will see passengers transported between O’Hare International Airport and Vertiport Chicago in approximately 10 minutes.
SMG’s take:
United and Archer continue to build their network with the addition of a new city. This type of announcements is important because it means both companies have lined up the support of the many stakeholders at national, state and city level needed for approval. Which one of the other three United hubs, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, will be next?
LIFT Aircraft conducts first piloted eVTOL test flight in Japan
LIFT Aircraft successfully conducted its first-ever piloted test flight with its HEXA aircraft in Osaka, Japan. The demonstration was held in conjunction with GMO Internet Group and Marubeni Corporation. Masatoshi Kumagai of GMO Internet Group piloted HEXA and completed three flight patterns.
SMG’s take:
LIFT test in Japan is important, not only because it is the second foreign eVTOL test in the country, following Ehang, but also because it is the first candidate demonstrator for the 2025 Osaka Expo to complete a flight test in Japan with the actual aircraft planned for the event.
EHang enters “final sprint” to obtain type certification for EH216
EHang confirmed it is in the final stages of achieving type certification for its two-seater EH216 eVTOL. The company is seeking approval from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) and made the announcement while unveiling its financial results for the 2022 financial year.
SMG’s take:
EHang is the only OEM in the world with conforming aircraft flying for credit with a regulator. While the timing of the certification keeps slipping, with a 2023 cert date, they will be the first AAM OEM to enter service with a passenger eVTOL.
BETA unveils electric charging station at Augusta Regional Airport
BETA Technologies has installed an electric aircraft charging station at Augusta Regional Airport, making it the first infrastructure of its kind in the U.S. state of Georgia. The charging station, built in partnership with the airport and Georgia Power, will be compatible with various types of electric aircraft.
SMG’s take:
BETA is the only OEM working on the infrastructure and vehicle parts of the AAM ecosystem. They continue to add to what will be a nation-wide network of charging stations numbering over 150. The proximity of this location to Augusta, home to golf Masters Tournament, could lead golf pros and VIPs at the event to be electric aviation early adopters.
Eve Air Mobility announces partnership with Ferrovial Airports
Eve Air Mobility and Ferrovial Airports have signed a letter of intent that focuses on the development of vertiport infrastructure for eVTOLs in the United States and Europe. The two parties will also implement the urban air traffic management software developed by Eve in the projects.
SMG’s take:
Ferrovial adds an additional OEM partner, following Lilium and Vertical Aerospace. On the UTM part of the ecosystem, Eve Air Mobility continues to add customers to their AAM air traffic management solution. Eve is one of the few companies that have lines of business in multiple parts of the AAM ecosystem.
