FutureFlight

Archer CEO Adam Goldstein told analysts that the company will meet its core objective of certifying a four-passenger eVTOL aircraft and launching air taxi services by the end of 2024. He indicated that these goals are not compromised by FAA's reported plans to change the basis for type certification of the new vehicles or the sudden departure of co-founder and former co-CEO Brett Adcock from the start-up.

Eve's leadership team insists the below-par response of investors to its SPAC-backed New York Stock Exchange listing has still generated sufficient capital to support plans to bring a four-passenger eVTOL aircraft into commercial service in 2026. Backed heavily by parent company Embraer, the group's leadership team say its approach to advanced air mobility is markedly different from rivals.

While hinting at some changes in its approach to regulating flight training and operations, the FAA insisted that its approach to certifying new eVTOL aircraft remains unchanged. The Vertical Flight Society and General Aviation Manufacturers Association have expressed frustration at what they view as ill-considered changes to planned rule-making.

Executives from Embraer and special purpose acquisition company Zanite rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange on May 10 to celebrate the public listing of Eve Holding. Under the terms of the business combination, Embraer now holds a 90 percent stake in the new company while Zanite shareholders and several other investors control the balance.

Airbus has named California-based electric-motor specialist Magicall to provide the complete electric propulsion system for its CityAirbus NextGen eVTOL aircraft. The company is aiming to start flight testing the first full-scale prototype in 2023.

Working with NASA's Mobile Acoustics Facility, the Joby flight test team has measured noise levels with its four-passenger eVTOL aircraft for both takeoffs and landings, and cruise phases of flight. The company says its initial analysis of the data confirms it will meet its objective of achieving noise levels that will be acceptable to residents in cities where air taxi services will operate.

Oil and gas company Shell, which is an investor in hydrogen-electric powertrain developer ZeroAvia, will be providing the start-up with hydrogen refueling equipment for flight testing using Dornier 228 aircraft in California and the UK. These will help ZeroAvia achieve its goal of certifying the new propulsion systems in 2024.

Israeli personal eVTOL aircraft developer Air now has two distributorships ready to market its Air One two-seat vehicle. Aviation retailer Aeroauto joined the company at the Kentucky Derby horse race, where it exhibited the Air One on the first leg of a planned promotional tour with the full-scale prototype. Customers will be able to view the vehicle at the Palm Beach, Florida showroom of Aeroauto, which will also provide flight training and product support.

Rolls-Royce is best known for building large turbofan engines for airliners, but lately, its relatively new Electrical division has been revealing ambitious plans to provide net-zero carbon electric propulsion for a variety of new aircraft. The company is a key partner for eVTOL aircraft developers Vertical Aerospace and Eve and is also working on plans for electric, fixed-wing commuter aircraft.

Helicopter charter group Helinet has joined the Urban Movement Labs project to prepare for possible eVTOL air taxi services in Los Angeles. The California-based company will share its experience with those missions to evaluate their applicability to eVTOLs and the attendant infrastructure requirements, including the addition of electric charging capacity.