Business aviation support group Clay Lacy Aviation is expanding its ambitions to be part of the advanced air mobility (AAM) sector through a partnership with a second eVTOL aircraft developer. On Wednesday, Overair said it will jointly develop a concept of operations for its five-passenger Butterfly aircraft at Clay Lacy’s FBOs.
Earlier this month, Clay Lacy announced a similar partnership with rival eVTOL aircraft developer Joby. On Tuesday, Joby confirmed separate plans to use a Kearny, New Jersey heliport as an operating base for eVTOL air taxi services in the New York City area through an agreement with the facility’s owner and operator, Helo Holdings, Inc. (HHI).
Initially, the collaboration with Overair will focus on Clay Lacy's facilities at John Wayne Airport and Van Nuys Airport in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The companies will also look at options for developing vertiports at other locations. This year, Clay Lacy is set to open a third FBO at Waterbury-Oxford Airport in Connecticut.
Under their plan, Clay Lacy will focus on charging infrastructure and aircraft operation logistics, while Overair will provide expertise on aircraft integration, maintenance, certification, user and vertiport software integration, flight path planning, and building public awareness. Overair recently announced partnerships with prospective operators and infrastructure stakeholders in locations including India, Texas, and South Korea, and with the involvement of companies including Bristow and Hanwha Systems.
“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 Overair’s chief commercial officer Valerie Manning. “We have been working with our partners at Clay Lacy for over a year and are delighted to announce our shared plan. We are confident that this strategic collaboration will leverage our respective strengths to create an AAM network that will positively impact local residents and visitors alike."
Clay Lacy’s partnership with Joby covers the installation of Joby’s Global Electric Aviation Charging System, which the manufacturer said can be used by multiple aircraft types. Overair has indicated that it favors a vehicle-agnostic approach to recharging infrastructure and is not looking to develop its own hardware for this aspect of eVTOL operations.
"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 for strategy and sustainability at Clay Lacy. "This collaboration with the Overair team brings us one step closer to better serving the residents and communities in Southern California."
Overair, which is based in Southern California, recently completed construction of the first full-scale Butterfly prototype. It aims to start flight testing the aircraft this year as it works towards the anticipated launch of commercial air taxi services starting in 2028.
New Jersey Heliport is a Quick Hop from Manhattan
On the East Coast, the Kearny heliport to be used by Joby is a two-minute flight from Manhattan’s downtown helipads or a 9-mile drive from Wall Street via the Lincoln Tunnel. The partnership with HHI is part of Joby’s efforts to prepare to launch commercial services with its four-passenger eVTOL aircraft from 2025 with Delta Air Lines in locations including New York and Los Angeles. In November 2023, HHI provided Joby with a temporary base for flight demonstrations in New York City, which also involved rival manufacturers Archer and Volocopter.
The Kearny heliport, which opened in 2011, offers 27 parking spaces for helicopters, with HHI planning to expand this to 32. The facility provides ground services as well as hangar space for maintenance operations to helicopters and is now expected to have the first electric aircraft recharging system in the New York City tri-state area.
“We continue to expand our footprint in Kearny in support of one of the busiest low-altitude corridors in the world, and we’re thrilled to partner with Joby, one of the leading developers of electric air taxis, to bring the next wave of quiet aircraft to residents of the tri-state area,” said HHI founder and CEO Jeff Hyman.
Delta and Joby have been jointly working with the Port Authority of New York and the New York City Economic Development Corporation to plan initial air taxi services. This work includes preparations to provide infrastructure for eVTOL aircraft at the city’s JFK and LaGuardia airports.
Charter flight provider Blade also plans to operate in the New York City area and has conducted demonstration flights with Beta Technologies' Alia model. Meanwhile, FBO group Atlantic Aviation is working with Joby and Archer to establish recharging infrastructure at some of its U.S. facilities, including those in the New York and Los Angeles areas.