The first step toward sharing airspace with advanced air mobility aircraft will come in the form of eight test projects that will involve operations by a variety of aircraft across 26 states. The Department of Transportation announced the eVTOL Integration Pilot Program (eIPP) on March 9, and the aircraft involved will soon start appearing in the National Airspace System in a variety of capacities. So far, the department envisions the tests to involve urban air taxis, regional airline flights, cargo and logistics, emergency medical response, autonomous flight, and offshore flights to oil platforms. The test sites range from the Manhattan Heliport to the wide-open spaces of the Oklahoma Plains.
“These partnerships will help us better understand how to safely and efficiently integrate these aircraft into the National Airspace System,” FAA Deputy Administrator Chris Rocheleau said in the release. “The program will provide valuable operational experience that will inform the standards needed to enable safe Advanced Air Mobility operations.” Most companies that have flyable aircraft are taking part in one or more of the trials. What’s not clear is how the tests will be integrated into the normal flow of air traffic and whether there will be advance warning about the tests.
I remember when elevators required operators, but I’m not nearly ancient enough to have ridden one that didn’t have brakes. It seems the AAM is doing it the other way around.
It’s most interesting what’s news worthy and what’s not these days. Helicopters have been mixing with fixed-wing aircraft for a very long time now. There’s many airports around the country that have a heavy mix of aircraft in very close proximity to each other. These operations are not news worthy but, electric unicorns are… Really???
Check out Juneau, Alaska. There’s dozens of tour helicopters operating in flights of 5 a couple hundred yards from Boeing 737’s and a Seaplane pond right next to the runway. Now add Southeast Alaska weather with 4000 foot mountains all around. Take a couple of those AAMs there and see what it will take to mix them in. The operators there have the experience.