Electric Air Taxis Start Flight Tests in Texas Under Federal Pilot Program
Electric air taxis began flight tests in Texas under a new federal pilot program, with Joby, Beta and Wisk demonstrating routes before FAA certification and final rules are in place.
The flights are part of the White House’s pilot program, following the Federal Aviation Administration’s Advanced Air Mobility and Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing Integration Pilot Program, or eIPP, which selected eight state-led projects earlier this year. Texas is the first, with three eVTOL companies taking part: Joby, Beta and Wisk. For the next week, the companies will conduct test flights demonstrating future routes between cities and regional airports, including Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. The aircraft will not carry passengers. Regulators will be watching how the state’s air traffic control system handles the increase in flight traffic.
The companies want to prove to the federal government that their aircraft deserve type certification, which is required before any of them can carry passengers commercially in the United States. Type certification can take years to attain. The White House created the pilot program to allow companies to demonstrate their new technology before the regulatory process has concluded. Through the eIPP, the companies hope to accelerate their path to market by getting a head start on data collection needed for certification. The White House said earlier that data from the program will also be used to develop new regulations that safely enable the technology at scale.
“I’m incredibly excited by the potential for vertical lift in Texas, a state with the infrastructure, expertise, and partnerships to help lead the next era of American aviation,” JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO of Joby Aviation, said in a statement. The companies say they are eager to demonstrate the future of electric and autonomous flight, which they argue will help reduce car traffic in cities and open up new mobility opportunities for consumers.
Several of the companies have conducted public test flights before. Joby’s egg-shaped aircraft demonstrated its future route between Lower Manhattan and JFK Airport earlier this year. The Texas flights are the first official flights under the White House’s new pilot program. Additional tests are planned in New York, Utah, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, Florida, North Carolina and New Mexico.
Legal fighting could complicate the picture for electric aviation. Joby and one of its rivals, Archer, are currently suing each other for stolen trade secrets and corporate espionage. Technology limitations, including battery weight and sensor decisions, could also hamper the rollout.