FutureFlight

Aircraft engine maker Rolls-Royce and transportation consultants Roland Berger this week released a report that predicts the advanced air mobility (AAM) market in the Asia Pacific region will be worth $36.9 billion in annual revenues by 2050. The report, released during the Singapore Airshow, is mainly based on the anticipated adoption of eVTOL aircraft for urban and regional air mobility services, including airport shuttles and intercity connections of up to 250 km (155 miles).

Adopting urban air mobility (UAM) could generate S$4.18 billion ($3.1 billion) in accumulative benefits to the Singapore economy by 2030, according to a new report published by eVTOL aircraft developer Volocopter. The Singapore Roadmap proposes an initial network of four to six vertiports to support tourist flights over locations such as Marina Bay and Sentosa.

Community engagement and discussions regarding public acceptance and the social impact of advanced air mobility (AAM) will be key research priorities, according to a report published this week by the government-backed UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

A U.S. Air Force (USAF) officer recently conducted the first remotely piloted flight of an eVTOL aircraft under the direct control of the government. Capt. Terrence McKenna, who is a reserve pilot and test and experimentation lead with the USAF’s Afwerx Agility Prime program, participated in remote-pilot-in-control exercises on Kitty Hawk’s Heavyside vehicle in December, according to this just-published Air Force report.

Avolon is a major airliner leasing group, so last year, when it committed to adding up to 500 of Vertical Aerospace’s four-passenger VX-4 eVTOL aircraft, it got the attention of the mainstream air transport sector. Major scheduled carriers Japan Air Lines and Brazil’s Gol have already signed up to lease large numbers of these prospective additions to the group’s portfolio.

EASA this week published the latest edition of its European Plan for Aviation Safety (EPAS). The document—which summarizes what the European regulator sees as safety development priorities between now and 2026—embraces several aspects of the advanced air mobility sector, including electric and hybrid-electric propulsion and the use of machine learning technology.

The UK government is offering £4.5 million ($6 million) in funding to strengthen the supply chain for power electronics, machines, and drive (PEMD) technology to be used in aviation applications. Grants of between £50,000 and £1 million are being offered by Innovate UK through the agency’s Building Talent for the Future 2 competition for which entries open on January 12.

In the advanced air mobility sector, 2021 has been the first year to see significant numbers of sales commitments for new eVTOL and eSTOL aircraft. While the solidity of these largely provisional order commitments remains in question, it has been eye-catching to witness major airlines including United, American, Virgin Atlantic, Japan Airlines, SkyWest, Azul, Gol, and Republic Airways signaling their intention to incorporate new aircraft carrying just a handful of passengers into their fleets.

EASA this week issued a notice of proposed amendment (NPA) intended to make it easier to certify, manufacture, and operate new types of aircraft—including new eVTOL models—that are not fully taken into account by existing regulations.

2021 has been a year in which four leading eVTOL aircraft pioneers, seeking to bring urban air mobility to Main Street, filed lucrative flight paths via share flotations on Wall Street. Following in the footsteps of Joby, Archer, Lilium, and Vertical Aerospace, Embraer subsidiary Eve on December 21 confirmed that it intends to merge with special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) Zanite and seek a New York Stock Exchange listing in the second quarter of 2022.