It’s an exciting time to be alive. The buzz is on around electric vertical take-off and landing (e-VTOL) aircraft., which can change the way we move from point A to B. Numerous players, including legacy aircraft makers and startups, are taking their ambition to new heights.

eVTOL, powered by electrons instead of fossil fuel, flies like a plane and lands like a chopper. It’s a new category of passenger aircraft, promising nthing less than a revolution in aviation. And it’s about to hit a tipping point.

The New York City Economic Development Conference (NYCEDC) hosted an event this week at the Downtown Manhattan Heliport (JRB), where Mayor Eric Adams announced the city’s plans to electrify the heliport in support of eVTOL operations. Joby and Volocopter performed back-to-back exhibition flights, and BETA Technologies showcased its mobile charging station.
“By electrifying one of the most famous heliports in the world, New York is demonstrating global leadership in the adoption of electric air travel,” said Joby founder and CEO JoeBen Bevirt. “We plan to make quiet, emissions-free flight an affordable, everyday reality for New Yorkers, while significantly reducing the impact of helicopter noise.”

Overair’s alliance with Arlington marks the first direct agreement between a Texan city and an eVTOL manufacturer. This strategic move includes construction of a vertiport at Arlington Municipal Airport, linking travelers seamlessly to the Entertainment District and beyond. The initiative helps to elevate and include Arlington in the advanced aerial mobility landscape and also promises to create new employment opportunities and fuel technological advancements in transport.
Meanwhile, the memorandum with DFW Airport reflects the commitment to explore vertiport development and operational integration, cementing the Metroplex’s status as a future hub for innovative air mobility. Overair’s feasibility studies will delve into the logistics of eVTOL services, addressing potential flight operations and vertiport scenarios. This effort aims to ensure that the region’s over 8 million residents and annual influx of tourists benefit from accessible, efficient, and eco-conscious travel solutions.

The aerospace and defense manufacturer is seeing plenty of demand in its advanced air mobility segment, which launched just three years ago.
“Honeywell’s nose-to-tail technology is a game-changer, setting the standard for safety and sustainability while providing an unprecedented user experience for our pilots,” said Yves Yemsi, chief operating officer of Lilium.
Other Honeywell AAM partners include Israeli air taxi firm Eviation and Supernal, the eVTOL manufacturing arm of Hyundai Motor Co.
The business also collaborates with U.S. government agencies such as the Department of Energy, with which it partnered to develop hydrogen fuel storage for long-range drones. Recently, its SatCom solution was selected for a new U.S. Space Force program. Honeywell also has a vertical outside its AAM business dedicated almost exclusively to SAF production, which is expected to fuel at least some eVTOL designs.

The aircraft will carry a single pilot and five passengers on flights of up to 100 km (63 miles) at a cruise speed of 180 km/h.
According to Madrid-based Crisalion, it has raised just over $16 million and is preparing to start another funding round in the first quarter of 2024 with support from the BlueBull investment bank. The company says it envisions applications including air taxi flights, emergency medical services, cargo operations, and tourism.

A nationwide study by Horizon Aircraft, a Canada-based hybrid electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aerial vehicles company, shows the launch of air taxi services could play a vital role in revitalizing rural communities.
The research, which included the views of people living in remote communities, found two out of three (66 per cent) Canadians would welcome the use of air taxis to address negative issues associated with living in remote communities such as poor access to transport, isolation, and unreliable supplies of critical goods and medical supplies…

“Vertiports will be much smaller and unobtrusive than traditional aviation infrastructure, ranging from a small two-stand vertiport of around 4,000m2 (43,000ft2)to a large eight-stand vertiport of around 13,000m2 (140,000ft2). This includes both the airfield and buildings.”

“The reduced size and noise levels and the operational capabilities of an eVTOL aircraft mean there is more flexibility about their location than traditional infrastructure. Vertiports will prioritize convenience and connectivity.”

Archer Aviation Inc. (NYSE: ACHR), a leader in electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, announced today its Midnight aircraft will make its Middle Eastern debut at the Dubai Air Show from November 13-17 as the featured aircraft in the Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Pavilion. Additionally, Archer founder and CEO, Adam Goldstein, is set to deliver a keynote address as part of the show’s opening ceremony unveiling Archer’s plans to bring electric air taxis to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 2026.

A third of flights in the US are less than 250 miles – which is already within range for electric planes. Sustainable aviation will need many technologies to fully decarbonise, including hydrogen, electric and sustainable aviation fuel. Most of these are still prohibitively expensive, don’t have enough scale or volume and aren’t ready for long-haul flights…

HeliJet announces advanced cleaner-powered air mobility machine in Victoria. A B.C. company is poised to become Canada’s first carrier of passengers and cargo using electric helicopter-like aircraft…