At least to start, most of the new eVTOL aircraft used for new air taxi and freight delivery services will have pilots on-board. That means the so-called advanced air mobility sector will face a significant challenge in recruiting and training unprecedented numbers of flight crew, and at a time when the existing air transport industry is already struggling with a skills shortage.
The new aircraft are expected to have a much higher degree of automation on the flight deck, and this will mean a different role for pilots. The industry's anticipated "simplified vehicle operations" will require a new approach to training, and several simulator manufacturers and flight training providers are turning their attention to this requirement. FutureFlight recently had the opportunity to see how a new generic eVTOL training device developed by L3 Harris could help to fast-track the flow of flight crew into this new sector of air transportation. During the recent Farnborough International air show Charles Cope, the company's business development principal for advanced air mobility, took us on a virtual flight into downtown Los Angeles.
