ChatGPT generated image: A grounded eVTOL prototype sits neglected in a hangar, coated in dust and pigeon droppings, a stark symbol of stalled aviation dreams
Supernal’s decision to pause work on its eVTOL aircraft is a signal that the sector is entering a different phase. Hyundai created Supernal with strong funding, a long timeline, and a clear plan to bring a five-seat air taxi to market around 2028. If a global automaker with significant resources … [continued]
Archer’s Midnight eVTOL Aircraft Will Seek to Integrate Across the LA28 Games through Transporting VIPs, Fans, & Stakeholders, While Electrifying Vertiport Take-off-and-Landing Hubs for Key Venues LOS ANGELES—Today, Archer (NYSE: ACHR) announced that it has been selected as the Official Air Taxi Provider of the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games … [continued]
ChatGPT generated panoramic image of an evtol like the Volocopter rusting in a field, with pigeons roosting on it
The inevitable is occurring in the dead end space of Jetsons urban air mobility fantasies. Two more origami rotorcraft have left the vertiport for the great airplane graveyard in the sky as Volocopter disappears and Airbus drops its program. Volocopter was founded in 2011 in Bruchsal, Germany. Initially named e-Volo, … [continued]
One of the leading electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft companies in the world, EHang, recently completed a demo flight of its autonomous (pilot-free) EH216-S, which is capable of carrying human passengers, in downtown Shanghai. “It served as an excellent backdrop to demonstrate the exceptional capabilities in convenience, safety, … [continued]
ChatGPT generated panoramic image of a Joby-style evtol landing and blowing people and garbage cans away with its very strong rotorwash
Over the past few years tens of billions of dollars, enormous numbers of hours of aerospace engineers’ precious time, and countless articles have been wasted on the Jetsons fantasy of quiet, electric, folding aircraft taking off and descending vertically amidst the towers and homes of our cities. Now the US … [continued]
A couple of months ago, I wrote about Lilium running out of money. It seemed the dream had died. After 9 years and nearly 1,000 “preorders,” Lilium just couldn’t make it financially. It’s hard to get off the ground as a startup and reach profitability, even more so in an … [continued]
ChatGPT generated panoramic image of an electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, evtol, sitting covered in dirt and pigeon droppings in a weed-filled field
It’s been over three years since I bothered to publish an article on the dead end but glitzy space of urban air mobility with their origami electric vertical take-off and landing passenger aircraft. Instead, I focused my aviation related assessments on how aviation will actually decarbonize over the next few … [continued]
Electric air taxis are not going to take over transportation. In my humble opinion, our skies are not going to be full of small aircraft that look like giant bugs. We won’t have swarms of aircraft risking collision and devastating crashes into buildings. However, I do believe that electric air … [continued]
The eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) aircraft space isn’t for everyone. Some people are crazy about it (perhaps too crazy) and others think it’s as much of a dead end as flying cars were in the 1950s. Frankly, I don’t know where I stand, but I’m interested to see … [continued]
As I wrote a week ago, unfortunately, following some surprise obstacles getting financial support in Germany, Lilium had to file for insolvency. The electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft startup has been getting hype and praise for years, and even logged hundreds of orders this year and planning to … [continued]
