2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

<p>News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.</p>


<p>News about bills, laws, regulations and other governmental decisions affecting aviation and aerospace. Topics include FAA re-authorizations, taxes on fuel and aviation activities, environmental legislation, ICAO decisions, governmental mediation of labor conflicts and World Trade Organization disputes and decisions.</p>


Straight talk about an industry that is making a lot of promises

Cutting Through the eVTOL Aircraft Hype With Independent Expert Sergio Cecutta

eVTOL companies are trying to instigate their own revolution

Volocopter Flies its eVTOL Aircraft During the Paris Olympics at Versailles

Charles Alcock

The German company had hoped to demonstrate its two-seat vehicle in the center of Paris 

Volocopter's Versailles eVTOL Flight Is a Step Towards Service Entry

Flights from Saint-Cyr-l’École airfield will help develop air taxi routes in the French capital 

Volocopter Flies eVTOL Aircraft Validation Mission in Paris

<p>Issues regarding financing of aircraft; aviation insurance; tax issues for aircraft operators; new companies and people in the aviation financing and insurance industries.</p>


The company will not disclose which of its existing investors have committed to provide new funding

Volocopter Says It Has Funding To Complete Certification of eVTOL Aircraft

<p><span><span><span>Germany's LBA civil aviation authority this week extended Volocopter’s production organization approval (POA), clearing the way for the company to start serial manufacturing of its two-seat VoloCity eVTOL aircraft. The approval announced on Thursday covers two new Volocopter production and hangar facilities at Bruchsal in Germany that the company built in 2023.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span>The company is busy working towards its objective of achieving EASA type certification for the aircraft this summer, which would make the VoloCity the first eVTOL model to achieve this approval in Europe. Volocopter and partners aim to be ready to operate some commercial <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2023-06-27/first-fare-paying-evtol-passenger-flights-could-happen-paris-during-2024">passenger-carrying flights in Paris </a>when the French capital hosts the 2024 Olympic Games, which begin on July 29. </span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span>In case full type certification cannot be achieved in time for that event, Volocopter is working with EASA, the French DGAC air safety agency, and airports group ADP to secure a permit to fly on a limited basis during the Olympics.</span></span></span></p>
<p>More progress was achieved this week, when on Friday the LBA gave clearance for its Volocopter Air Services subsidiary to be an approved training organization with the authority to train eVTOL pilots. Over the past year, the German authorities have been auditing the company to ensure that its training equipment and materials meet the required standards and are available to deliver the required training for the new pilot license.</p>
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            <div class="field field--name-field-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Volocopter is now approved by the German aviation safety agency to train eVTOL aircraft pilots. (Image: Volocopter)</div>
      
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<figcaption>Volocopter is now approved by the German aviation safety agency to train eVTOL aircraft pilots. (Image: Volocopter)</figcaption>
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<p><span><span><span>Volocopter secured an EASA design organization approval back in 2019, and this was followed by the initial POA in 2021 when the company acquired aircraft manufacturer DG Flugzeugbau. According to Volocopter, the extended POA is the first of its type in the industry, specifically giving the go-ahead to move from prototyping to what is effectively a preliminary phase of serial manufacturing of its eVTOL design.</span></span></span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><span><span><span>“This is a major milestone for us,” commented Volocopter’s chief operating officer Andreas Fehring. “Aircraft design and production are strongly regulated for a good reason: to produce safe mobility products. I am pleased that Volocopter’s production facility has the trust and stamp of approval from LBA to manufacture commercial aircraft that can be safely delivered to customers once the VoloCity receives type certification. Our team has proven that we can produce safe and high-quality test aircraft, and we now look forward to shortening our production lead time for scaling.”</span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span>The approval sequence being taken by European aviation regulators would appear to contrast with that recently seen in China. Last October, EHang received a type certificate for its two-seat <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2023-11-23/ehang-progresses-its-long-march-air-mobility-leadership">EH216-S eVTOL aircraft</a>&nbsp;from the Civil Aviation Administration of China, but more than four months later the company is still in the process of securing full series production approval.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span>In the U.S., Joby Aviation has been manufacturing production-conforming prototypes of its four-passenger eVTOL aircraft since June 2023. In February, Joby announced it has <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2024-02-22/joby-completes-third-five-stages-faa-type-certification-its-evtol-aircraft">completed the third of five stages</a> required for the FAA type certification process it aims to complete by the end of this year.</span></span></span></p>


Managing Editor

Volocopter Gets Clearance to Start Early Serial Production of VoloCity eVTOL Aircraft

<p>German eVTOL developer <a href="https://futureflight.aero/news-article/2023-10-29/volocopter-makes-case-evtol-air-services-roadshow-us-market">Volocopter</a> has jumped to the number-one ranking on SMG Consulting’s Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Reality Index, overtaking long-time front-runner <a href="https://futureflight.aero/news-article/2023-10-04/jobys-evtol-aircraft-makes-first-flights-pilots-board">Joby Aviation</a>, which is now tied with EHang and Beta Technologies in second place.</p>
<p>With countless aerospace start-ups vying for attention in the nascent AAM industry, the <a href="https://advancedairmobilityrealityinde.godaddysites.com/aam-reality-index">AAM Reality Index</a> aims to quantify the likelihood that a manufacturer will succeed in certifying its aircraft, putting it into service, and mass-producing it at a rate of thousands of units per year, according to SMG. The assessment tool calculates rankings on a scale of zero to 10 based on a variety of factors, including funding, certification progress, and production readiness. Those rankings are updated every couple of months, and SMG released its latest update on November 8.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>“Major changes are coming to the AAM Reality Index November 2023 release due to the addition of almost 40 percent new milestones for the funding, technology readiness, and production readiness parameters,” SMG co-founder and president Sergio Cecutta <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/sergiocecutta_advanced-air-mobility-reality-index-november-activity-7128082117984452610-xUb2">wrote</a> on LinkedIn. “We think this added detail allows us to capture the differences between OEMs' progress much more accurately.”</p>
<p>The November 2023 update to the AAM Reality Index includes additional milestones to “take into account the differences in funding needed to scale up production,” according to SMG. It now distinguishes between subscale and full-scale technology demonstrators and prototypes. In determining a company’s production readiness, it also now distinguishes between low-rate initial production and mass-production capabilities.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Production readiness appears to be the main factor contributing to Volocopter’s leap to the top with a score of 8.3, as it&nbsp;is the only eVTOL developer to have secured a <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2019-12-09/easa-grants-first-design-organization-approval-evtol-developer-volocopter">production certificate</a>. Although EHang recently became the first company to obtain a <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2023-10-13/china-issues-worlds-first-evtol-aircraft-type-certificate-ehangs-eh216-s">type certificate</a> for commercial eVTOL operations, it has still not obtained its production certificate.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Trailing closely behind Volocopter are EHang, Joby, and <a href="https://futureflight.aero/news-article/2023-10-26/betas-electric-airplane-lands-air-force-base-florida">Beta</a>, which tied for second place with index scores of 8.0.&nbsp;<a href="https://futureflight.aero/news-article/2023-10-25/archers-midnight-evtol-prototype-aircraft-makes-first-flight">Archer Aviation</a> takes third place with a score of 7.9, a slight drop from the 8.1 rating it received in August. Boeing-backed autonomous eVTOL developer <a href="https://futureflight.aero/news-article/2023-10-20/wisk-reports-generation-6-autonomous-evtol-aircraft-track-flight-testing">Wisk Aero</a> takes fourth place, with its index score dropping to 7.4 from 7.8. Wisk’s reduced score stems from its technology readiness, as the company has yet to begin flight testing with a full-scale prototype and is still flying with a subscale technology demonstrator. Eve Air Mobility and Vertical&nbsp;Aerospace take fifth and sixth place with rankings of 7.2 and 7.1, respectively.</p>
<p>The November release of the AAM Reality Index ranks 28 companies, and those rankings are publicly <a href="https://advancedairmobilityrealityinde.godaddysites.com/aam-reality-index">available online</a>.&nbsp;</p>


Science & Technology Editor

Hanneke Weitering

Volocopter Takes the Lead in Updated AAM Reality Index

<p>As Volocopter prepares to launch commercial air taxi services with its two-seat VoloCity eVTOL aircraft at the Paris Olympics next year, the German startup has been showing off its 2X prototype in a series of flight demonstrations across the U.S.&nbsp;this fall&nbsp;as part of its efforts&nbsp;to expand into international markets.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The 2X prototype is a predecessor to Volocopter’s two-seat VoloCity air taxi, which is firmly on track to receive its type certificate from European air safety regulators in time for the 2024 Olympics Games, Volocopter's chief risk and certification officer Oliver Reinhardt told <strong>AIN</strong>. Attendees at the games should have the opportunity to be among the <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2023-06-27/first-fare-paying-evtol-passenger-flights-could-happen-paris-during-2024">first paying passengers</a> in an eVTOL aircraft. Meanwhile, the company is working to concurrently certify the vehicle with the FAA, and it has been flight testing in the U.S. to explore business opportunities across the pond, Reinhardt said.&nbsp;</p>
<p>For the latest stop in Volocopter’s U.S. roadshow, the company brought the 2X prototype to Las Vegas in mid-October for the annual NBAA-BACE business aviation show, where it conducted daily flight demonstrations for crowds of spectators at Henderson Executive Airport. This wasn’t Volocopter’s first rodeo in Vegas; the company brought an earlier prototype to the city in 2018 to fly on stage at the Consumer Electronics Show.&nbsp;</p>
<p>A couple of weeks before NBAA-BACE, the aircraft was in Dallas, Texas for the UP Summit, an exclusive invitation-only conference dedicated to advanced technologies in the transportation sector. According to Volocopter, the 2X prototype became not only the first eVTOL air taxi to fly at the annual event, but also the first to fly in the state of Texas.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Now Volocopter's 2X prototype has landed in&nbsp;Tampa, Florida, where the company conducts a public flight demonstration during an event&nbsp;on November 2 at the Sheltair Aviation FBO. It&nbsp;was attended by hundreds of federal, state, and local officials, as well as airport employees, media, and others. The flight tests were also visible to spectators around Tampa International Airport (KTPA).&nbsp;</p>
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            <div class="field field--name-field-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Volocopter demonstrated its 2X eVTOL technology demonstrator at Tampa International Airport on November 2 (Image: AIN/Chad Trautvetter)</div>
      
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<figcaption>Volocopter demonstrated its 2X eVTOL technology demonstrator at Tampa International Airport on November 2 (Image: AIN/Chad Trautvetter)</figcaption>
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<p>Less conspicuous test trials at the airport continued through November 3, with the FAA using a bank of ground-based sensors on an apron adjacent to the Sheltair hangars to record noise data from the aircraft.</p>
<p>Notably, these flights also marked the first eVTOL trials in Florida, a fact that was not lost on the airport's&nbsp;CEO<strong>&nbsp;</strong>Joe Lopano, who pointed out that Tampa/St. Petersburg also lays claim to the <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2023-01-03/pioneers-push-accelerate-green-autonomous-aviation">first commercial passenger&nbsp;flight in the U.S</a>.—an Airboat Line Benoist Type XIV flying boat piloted by Tony Janus flew from St. Pete to Tampa on Jan. 1, 1914. That 23-mile flight, Lopano explained, could soon be replicated by urban air mobility, which he called "the future of transportation."</p>
<p>“Tampa International Airport has always embraced innovation and futuristic planning, and we've already identified a potential site [at KTPA] for urban air mobility as a part of our master plan,” added&nbsp;Lopano.</p>
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            <div class="field field--name-field-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">For many attending Volocopter's roadshow event in Tampa, it was their first time to view an eVTOL aircraft. (Image: AIN/Chad Trautvetter)</div>
      
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<figcaption>For many attending Volocopter's roadshow event in Tampa, it was their first time to view an eVTOL aircraft. (Image: AIN/Chad Trautvetter)</figcaption>
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<p>While Volocopter’s U.S. roadshow is helping to educate the public about eVTOL air taxis and promote its aircraft, it has also provided the company with opportunities to test its aircraft in other localities with different geographies and possible use cases. In addition to Europe and the U.S., Volocopter is looking to operate its eVTOL aircraft all over the world, including in <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2023-02-21/momentum-builds-evtol-aircraft-operations-japan">Japan</a>, <a href="https://futureflight.aero/news-article/2021-04-19/volocopter-steps-chinese-urban-air-mobility-plans-through-geely-joint">China</a>, <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-brief/2022-02-14/singapore-path-urban-air-mobility-could-be-paved-gold">Singapore</a>, <a href="https://futureflight.aero/news-article/2021-11-11/volocopter-flies-2x-evtol-south-korean-urban-air-mobility-event">South Korea</a>, <a href="https://futureflight.aero/news-article/2021-07-21/volocopter-steps-plans-evtol-air-taxi-network-across-malaysia">Malaysia</a>, and Saudi Arabia’s <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2021-12-01/saudi-tech-city-neom-set-become-urban-air-mobility-incubator">Neom</a> region. Volocopter says it has already accumulated more than 500 pre-orders for its family of eVTOL aircraft, which includes the VoloCity as well as the larger, longer-range VoloRegion (formerly known as the <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2021-05-17/volocopter-adds-larger-longer-range-evtol-its-portfolio">VoloConnect</a>) and cargo-carrying VoloDrone.</p>


Volocopter Makes the Case For eVTOL Air Services With Roadshow In U.S. Market

Kerry Lynch

<p>News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.</p>


Volcopter is planning a series of 2X flights at the static display during NBAA-BACE

Volocopter To Show AAM Progress with NBAA-BACE Flights

<p>Bristow Helicopters has agreed to purchase up to 80 VoloCity eVTOL aircraft from German eVTOL developer Volocopter. Under the new agreement announced on September 7, the helicopter operator will work with Volocopter to develop an urban air mobility ecosystem for passengers and cargo in the U.S. and UK.&nbsp;</p>
<p>According to Volocopter, Bristow placed a firm order for two VoloCity aircraft with the option to purchase an additional 78 vehicles in the future. Volocopter expects to have the two-seat VoloCity certified for commercial use in Europe by June 2024, and it intends to conduct flight demonstrations <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2023-06-27/first-fare-paying-evtol-passenger-flights-could-happen-paris-during-2024">during the 2024 Summer Olympic Games</a> in Paris. The FAA has agreed to concurrently validate Volocopter’s EASA type certification, and the company says it aims to launch air taxi services in major U.S. cities like Los Angeles and New York.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In the meantime, Bristow and Volocopter will work together to ensure a smooth launch of eVTOL services in the U.S. and UK, where Bristow intends to operate the VoloCity aircraft. The joint development agreement includes discussions on regulatory affairs, infrastructure, and aircraft maintenance services, as well as Volocopter’s <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2022-05-17/microsoft-will-develop-cloud-based-platform-urban-air-mobility-operations">VoloIQ</a> operating system.</p>
<p>Bristow already operates a fleet of more than 240 helicopters around the world, primarily serving customers in the oil and gas sectors, though it also provides charter flights and search-and-rescue services. The company has been proactively signing sales agreements with several eVTOL aircraft developers over the past two years as it prepares to electrify its fleet. It has also placed firm orders or signed provisional sales agreements with <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2022-08-09/bristow-orders-55-betas-alia-250-evtol-aircraft">Beta Technologies</a>, <a href="https://futureflight.aero/news-article/2022-07-18/bristow-plans-lilium-jet-evtol-purchase-part-wider-partnership">Lilium</a>, <a href="https://futureflight.aero/news-article/2021-09-22/bristow-expands-fleet-electrification-plan-orders-vertical-aerospace-evtols">Vertical Aerospace</a>, <a href="https://futureflight.aero/news-article/2021-08-26/helicopter-group-bristow-shifts-business-model-commitment-50-estol-aircraft">Electra.aero</a>, <a href="https://futureflight.aero/news-article/2021-09-23/bristow-doubles-down-fleet-electrification-another-evtol-order">Eve</a>, <a href="https://futureflight.aero/news-article/2021-12-17/bristow-evaluates-overairs-butterfly-evtol-advanced-air-mobility-plans">Overair</a>, and <a href="https://futureflight.aero/news-article/2022-07-12/bristow-commits-ordering-100-chaparral-vtol-freighters-elroy-air">Elroy Air</a>.&nbsp;</p>


Volocopter

News

Cutting Through the eVTOL Aircraft Hype With Independent Expert Sergio Cecutta

Volocopter Flies its eVTOL Aircraft During the Paris Olympics at Versailles

Volocopter's Versailles eVTOL Flight Is a Step Towards Service Entry

Volocopter Flies eVTOL Aircraft Validation Mission in Paris

Volocopter Says It Has Funding To Complete Certification of eVTOL Aircraft

Volocopter Gets Clearance to Start Early Serial Production of VoloCity eVTOL Aircraft

Volocopter Takes the Lead in Updated AAM Reality Index

Volocopter Makes the Case For eVTOL Air Services With Roadshow In U.S. Market

Volocopter To Show AAM Progress with NBAA-BACE Flights

Bristow and Volocopter Partner to Bring eVTOL Air Services to the U.S. and UK

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