FutureFlight

Dufour Aerospace has agreed that AirMobility will market and distribute its Aero 3 hybrid-electric eVTOL aircraft in Japan. The agreement includes terms that could see the Tokyo-based company buy an unspecified number of the five- to seven-seat model, for which no projected service entry and certification date has yet been published.

At a factory in Texas, Qarbon Aerospace will integrate and assemble Hexa aerostructures made by its facility in Thailand. Initially, Lift Aircraft is bringing the personal air vehicle to market under the FAA's Powered Ultralight rules.

Archer says 20 or more recruits from supersonic aircraft developer Aerion will boost its capability in areas such as fly-by-wire controls, flight dynamics, systems engineering, system safety, avionics, power systems, and electromagnetic effects. The company unveiled its Maker technology demonstrator on June 10 and aims to start flight tests by the end of 2021.

Early commitments for NFT's Aska four-seat, self-drive eVTOL vehicle have mainly come from individuals who crave door-to-door transportation options that would allow them to live farther from large cities. Among the launch members of the company's "Founders Club" were a physician who sees the Aska as being valuable in providing rapid-response capability in medical trauma events and a Silicon Valley tech executive who wants more flexibility than he gets with his existing personal fleet of two private jets and a fighter aircraft.

Revealing its initial customers for the eFlyer 800, Bye Aerospace said Jet It and JetClub signed a purchase agreement including orders and options for the seven-passenger cabin-class aircraft, along with purchase deposits for four eFlyer 4 aircraft.  As launch customers, Jet It founder and CEO Glenn Gonzales and JetClub founder and CEO Vishal Hiremath will join Bye Aerospace’s Strategic Advisory Council for the eFlyer.

Some might say that established business and private aircraft operators are natural customers for new eVTOL aircraft and the air taxi services for which they are intended. Many of the eVTOL pioneers claim they will go it alone, retaining full control of operations and the advanced air mobility business model. But that stance could be softening as operational challenges and business realities bring the old and new schools closer together.

A three-minute sortie on June 21 as part of the Paris Air Forum marked the first public flight in France by Volocopter's eVTOL aircraft prototype. The German manufacturer is one of 30 companies and organizations working on a project to prepare for small-scale air taxi services to be launched in time for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

Embraer's Eve Urban Air Mobility Solutions subsidiary has expanded its partnership with vertiports developer Skyports to prepare for the integration of eVTOL aircraft flight operations, air traffic management, and ground infrastructure in anticipated urban air mobility markets in Asia and the Americas. Based on an early-concept graphic released by the partners, Dallas could be one of the early-adopter locations.

Varon Vehicles' plans for urban air mobility are expected to come to fruition first in Colombia, where the company is headquartered. Under a new agreement, it will now receive support from GE Digital in areas such as software analytics needed to develop the capability for airspace efficiency, safety and predictive maintenance for eVTOL aircraft.

MagniX says it is on track to complete FAA certification of its family of electric propulsion units under Part 33 rules. In addition to the existing 500 kW Magni500 EPU, which has already flown on electrified versions of the Cessna Grand Caravan and the DHC-2 Beaver, the company also now offers the Magni350 and Magni650 units.