Recent Updates

Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operation of unmanned and autonomous systems (UAS) operations took a big step forward today (March 13). The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) for the Department of Transportation (DoT) filed a memorandum on the FAA’s efforts to establish a regulatory framework for such operations. According to the memo, “Nationwide […]

Signature Aviation and BETA Technologies have teamed up to install electric charging infrastructure at airports along the eastern seaboard. The partnership was announced in a March 7 press release noting that the global fixed-based operator (FBO) and electric aerospace company have already installed the first charging station at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport with plans underway for […]

Yesterday, Sikorsky revealed plans to build, test and fly a large-scale hybrid-electric vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) tilt-wing demonstrator. Dubbed HEX (for “hybrid-electric”), the project is expected to be the first of a series of large, next-gen VTOLs featuring varying degrees of electrification and advanced autonomy technology “for optionally-piloted flight,” Sikorsky said in a statement. […]

Beta Technologies announced today (Feb. 15) it has teamed with global FBO network Avflight and Golden Triangle Regional Airport (KGTR) in Columbus, Mississippi, to “inaugurate” the first aircraft charging station in the state. Burlington, Vermont-based Beta flew its fixed-wing prototype all-electric ALIA aircraft to the airport and plugged in to the newly commissioned airside charger, […]

All five U.S. Marines onboard a crashed CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter are confirmed dead, according to a USMC news release today (Feb. 8). The helicopter departed on what is described as part of a training mission from Creech Air Force Base near Las Vegas, Nevada, Tuesday, but was reported overdue late that night at its […]

Urban air mobility hopeful Archer Aviation announced today (Feb. 7) that final assembly on three conforming examples of its Midnight eVTOL aircraft is set to begin in the coming weeks. Piloted flight testing is expected to begin later this year. “For credit” FAA flight testing toward commercialization of the Midnight will use the three airframes. […]

Archer Aviation announced yesterday (Jan. 31) it has completed Phase 1 testing on its Midnight electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. The phase took three months to accomplish, “significantly” less than the time it took Archer to reach this point with its full-scale prototype Maker model. Archer said it has upgraded the Midnight’s battery […]

FBO chain Atlantic Aviation has teamed with eVTOL developer Archer Aviation, signing a memorandum of understanding to establish infrastructure for electric aircraft at Atlantic’s locations. The MOU covers four launch markets in the Atlantic network of more than 100 FBOs. Archer hopes to replace 60- to 90-minute automobile trips with 10- to 20-minute flights in […]

Hyundai Motor Group-backed Supernal chose the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas to introduce its four-passenger S-A2 air taxi yesterday (Jan. 9). A prototype of the electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicle is expected to fly by year-end. Service entry is pegged at 2028. The V-tail S-A2 uses eight tilting motors mounted forward […]

Volatus Infrastructure & Energy (VI&E) Solutions and ResilienX have joined forces to build the first electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) project in the Americas at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.  In a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), Volatus, known for building vertiports and charging stations for all electric mobility including eVTOLs, announced its partnership […]