Surf Air Presses Ahead with Plans To Go Public with New York Stock Exchange Listing
Surf Air Mobility is going it alone with plans for a New York Stock Exchange listing after filing a registration statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on June 5. In November, the flight booking platform, which plans to bring electric and hybrid-electric aircraft into commercial service, signaled its intention to go public on its own following the termination of a $1.42 billion merger with special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) Tuscan Holdings Corp. II.
Surf Air had expected that deal, originally announced in May 2022, to raise around $467 million to fund its effort to introduce electric aircraft via partner operators. That announcement came just a few weeks after it confirmed that an earlier plan to acquire hybrid-electric propulsion developer Ampaire fell apart.
Surf Air's plans now center on converting Cessna Grand Caravan turboprop singles to a hybrid-electric propulsion system under development by MagniX in partnership with airframe modifications specialist and systems integrator AeroTec. Surf Air says it will support efforts to bring the modification to market under a supplemental type certificate it will own.
VPorts Begins Vertiport Certification Process with UAE Aviation Officials
VPorts has begun the certification process for its plans to build vertiports in the United Arab Emirates. The company said it has started working with the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority to ensure its plans align with the agency’s CAR IX-HVD Part III requirements.
Last year, the Canada-based company confirmed its intention to develop an advanced air mobility business park at the Mohammed bin Rashid Aerospace Hub at the Dubai South airport complex. It also plans to build vertiports at other locations across the UAE, including Ras Al Khaimah International Airport.
According to VPorts, the UAE is the only country that has so far issued specific regulations for vertiports. It says that other major aviation regulators, including EASA and FAA, have issued only design guidance and proposed concepts of operations.
According to VPorts, the design approval phase of the application process will likely take six months. The company aims to start construction in 2024. It also plans to develop vertiports in North America at locations such as Quebec in Canada and Syracuse, New York, as well as in South America at São Paulo.
VPorts plans to establish a Vertiport Operation Control Center as part of what it calls an Advanced Air Mobility Integrator facility in Dubai. The center would include air traffic management and communications capability to coordinate between eVTOL aircraft operators, vertiports, and air navigation service providers.
South Korea's Plana Confirms Plans for eVTOL R&D Center in California
South Korean eVTOL aircraft developer Plana is stepping up its plans for a partnership with the California city of Irvine after a meeting with Vice Mayor Tammy Kim. During a June 1 visit to the company’s research and development facility in Incheon, South Korea, Kim discussed the opening of the company’s office in Irvine as part of efforts to collaborate on economic development and technology innovation.
Plana has established a facility in the U.S. to support its efforts to achieve FAA type certification for its hybrid-electric eVTOL vehicle. Irvine is already home to other eVTOL pioneers, including Supernal and Overair, and aviation manufacturers such as Parker Aerospace, Unical Aviation, and Zephyr Aerospace.
“The establishment of Plana’s presence in Irvine will not only enhance our technology ecosystem but also create exciting opportunities for collaboration, research, and economic growth,” commented vice mayor Kim. “As a Korean American, I look forward to the fruitful partnerships that will arise from this venture and the advancements we will achieve together.”
U.S. Air Force Backs Jump Aero Research into Electronic Parachute for eVTOL Aircraft
Jump Aero and the California Institute of Technology have completed a U.S. Air Force-backed research contract to develop and test a so-called “electronic parachute” to support safe eVTOL aircraft operations. The work, which was conducted under a Phase II Small Business Technology Transfer contract, focused on the use of an adaptive flight controller pre-trained in simulation for various failure scenarios using a machine-learned neural network. The work was part of the USAF's Afwerx program to evaluate possible military applications for eVTOL aircraft.
According to Jump Aero, the technology should enable new aircraft to continue flying safely and under full control in the event of in-flight damage. The California-based company is developing its JA1 Pulse eVTOL aircraft, primarily for use in emergency medical services.
