​New Era Awaits for Advanced Air Mobility

Advanced air mobility (AAM) has become a popular buzzword in aviation circles. The FAA is developing regulations for it. Airports and airlines are preparing for it. But what exactly is AAM, and what will it mean for pilots?

AAM broadly covers any novel aircraft, airframe, or propulsion technology. That includes electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVOTL) air taxis, small cargo drones, and aircraft that fly with little to no pilot input, using complex arrays of cameras and sensors.

Later this year, the FAA will oversee operational testing of these technologies—with real airports and air traffic controllers (ATCs)—under its eVTOL and AAM Integration Pilot Program (eIPP). The effort, spanning at least three years and 26 states, will for many provide a first glimpse at the new entrants.

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That’s only the beginning of what could enter U.S. skies in the next five to 10 years. Some manufacturers are developing electric trainers. Others are pursuing personal eVTOL models that could be stored in a garage and used to commute to work. A few are even advancing so-called “flying cars,” designed to lift off from a freeway and soar over traffic. Under the FAA’s refreshed Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification (MOSAIC) rule, general aviation pilots may soon be able to fly these models and others, including those with simplified pilot controls.

Still other manufacturers are rethinking the airframe itself. 

Not all of these new entrants will survive the development phase. Some that do may have brief operational lives. But with financial war chests and high-ranking officials backing them, chances are that many will at least achieve certification.

“I think there’s a lot of dynamic impact that these new technologies will bring to transportation writ large,” Kristie Greco Johnson, senior vice president for government affairs for the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), told FLYING.

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At scale, AAM aircraft could be everywhere—air taxis at major hub airports, electric jets at regional airfields, flying cars and drones in suburban neighborhoods. Vertical takeoffs and runway independence would unlock flights out of parking garages, stadiums, ski resorts, and other previously inauspicious locations. With that innovation will come disruption. The good news for pilots? Per Greco Johnson as well as Sergio Cecutta, who leads SMG Consulting’s AAM Reality Index, the new aircraft mostly will expand aviation services rather than replace them.

“I think America in particular has done an exceptional job of understanding how to integrate new entrants safely into the system,” said Dan Hubbard, senior vice president of communications for NBAA.

A construction company that flies helicopters, for example, could deploy an eVTOL for shorter operations that require greater accuracy.

“You could do things with more precision if you have these complementary tools available to you,” said Hubbard.

Largest Market

The FAA in 2024 published a special federal aviation regulation (SFAR) that created training requirements for the initial cohort of eVTOL pilots. Airline pilots may want to keep that in mind. According to Cecutta, SMG views air taxis as the largest future AAM market.

He said that comes with a caveat—air taxi services are a “pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.”

In other words, adoption will take time. Organizers of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles envision eVTOLs ferrying spectators and athletes between venues. However, Cecutta predicted it will be a decade before OEMs achieve meaningful scale, which SMG’s AAM Reality Index defines as producing thousands of commercial units annually.

A few factors drove that conclusion. For one, the energy density of today’s electric batteries caps range and limits most eVTOL designs to five or six seats.

“If you could put eight seats, nine seats, 10 seats in an eVTOL, you would,” Cecutta said.

He added that by combining the runway independence of helicopters and efficiency of fixed-wing planes, air taxis unlike regional AAM models (more on those later) are manufacturing a new use case rather than disrupting an existing one. Combined with what will likely be premium pricing, that could make demand unstable.

Because they are optimized for forward flight, eVTOLs will never fully replace helicopters. Conventional rotorcraft will remain optimal for situations that require prolonged hovering, such as aerial newsgathering or policing. Air taxis are not a “miracle cure” for alleviating ground traffic, either.

“That’s very cute,” Cecutta said. “It’s a very good goal from Silicon Valley. Not going to happen anytime soon—probably never.”

But he added that eVTOLs would complement other transportation systems to shorten trips across a city, while reducing emissions and noise. That value proposition has been strong enough to get the attention of the four largest U.S. airlines, all of which have placed conditional or firm orders for air taxis.

American eVTOL manufacturers are among the world’s leaders, with several planning activities under the eIPP. Once operational, they intend to fly in major cities such as New York and Los Angeles, ferrying passengers between airports and city centers, taking tourists on aerial sightseeing flights, and shuttling sports fans to suburban stadiums.

Beyond the Skyline

Electric aircraft won’t be limited to intracity operations.

Models that take off conventionally—such as Beta Technologies’ all-electric Alia CX300 or hybrid-electric models being developed by Boeing-backed Evio—will have less endurance than conventional turboprops. But they are expected to have enough range to connect regional city pairs. Florida is planning a network of aerial highways that could link Tampa and Naples or Miami and Key West, for example.

Other developers aim to retrofit existing regional aircraft with novel powerplants.

Ampaire’s flagship models are the Eco Caravan and Eco Otter—a Cessna 208B and de Havilland DHC-6, respectively, modified with hybrid-electric powertrains. ZeroAvia, which develops hydrogen-electric power trains for aircraft with up to 80 seats, is retrofitting the Caravan and others through partnerships with Textron Aviation, de Havilland, Airbus, and more.

Regional AAM models promise to reduce noise, emissions, and operating costs due to their cheaper energy sources. Cecutta pointed out that as conventional OEMs have been forced to add seats to keep their aircraft economically viable, regional air mobility (RAM) could enable smaller, more affordable hub-and-spoke operations.

Crucial to that will be the ability for the new models to land on airport taxiways and other non-runway locations. That would allow them to feed larger hubs without taking away precious slots from large passenger jets.

“We already don’t have enough, and we definitely don’t have enough to give away,” Cecutta said.

An aircraft such as Electra’s EL9—which uses a unique blown lift propulsion system to take off from runways and unimproved surfaces with just 150 feet of ground roll—could fit the mission. Eventually, Electra aims to make the airport optional, instead operating from locations like malls, casinos, piers, and unused parking spaces.

Like eVTOL air taxis, electric and hybrid regional aircraft will face obstacles to adoption due to battery density and accessibility. Cecutta is skeptical of the pitch many of these developers make—that AAM can restore activity at dormant regional airports.

“It’s like saying everyone that has a backyard will have a pool,” he said, “and that’s not the case.”

Cecutta was even more skeptical of some manufacturers’ promise of supersonic travel in the post-Concorde era.

The most prominent is Boom Supersonic, which in 2025 completed several supersonic demonstrator flights without an audible sonic boom reaching the ground. The company is developing a commercial jet for about 60 to 80 passengers. Cecutta said that while there is “definitely an interest there” among airlines, the companies leading the way may not be first to market.

“There’s noise. There is pollution. There is consumption of fuel,” he said. “And last but not least, there is the cost of the airplanes themselves.”

Cecutta said supersonic jets’ premium pricing may make them a better fit for business aviation than commercial. Boom and others will also need to limit their speed over land to about Mach 1.5—significantly slower than Concorde—to minimize sound waves. The phenomenon is highly dependent on atmospheric conditions, which could make scheduling a headache for airlines.

Greco Johnson believes business aviation will serve as a proving ground for AAM before the technologies are adopted by large carriers.

“It is where new technologies are incubated and born,” she said. “And we’ve seen that from winglets and composites and GPS to now eVTOL propulsion systems, hybrid-electric propulsion systems.”

Rethinking the Airframe

Many AAM developers are reimagining propulsion systems. Others are rethinking the airframe entirely.

Blended-wing body (BWB) aircraft—which merge the wing and fuselage and eliminate the tail section—represent a fundamental shift from the tube-and-wing architecture that dates back to early airliners like the Boeing 707. NASA and Boeing flew two subscale BWB demonstrators between 2007 and 2013. More than a decade later, carriers including United Airlines and Alaska Airlines are exploring adding BWB models to their fleets.JetZero and Natilus claim their respective Z4 and Horizon aircraft will reduce fuel burn by 30 percent and 50 percent
versus models they are designed to replace. For Natilus, including the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320neo.

Because of their efficient airframes, BWBs can use older, smaller, less complex engines. JetZero’s Z4 demonstrator—being developed for U.S. Air Force demonstrations in 2027—will use Pratt & Whitney’s low-bypass PW2040 turbofan, which entered service in the 1980s. Merging the wing and fuselage creates vertical interior walls that require cabin windows to be swapped out for digital screens. But that provides more space for passengers (up to 200 for Horizon and 250 for the Z4), luggage, or even large tanks for storing hydrogen fuel.

Cecutta said that certifying a clean-sheet, 200-passenger aircraft for Part 25 operations is “probably the most difficult thing you can do” as a startup and questioned whether any will produce enough BWBs to be viable. If JetZero and Natilus succeed, though, large and hyper-efficient aircraft could create a massive disruption.

With thousands of aircraft in their backlogs, Boeing and Airbus have little incentive to spend millions developing a clean-sheet design. That creates a window for startups that survive the development phase. Boeing and Airbus themselves have forecast demand for 43,000 new commercial jets by 2045 and could struggle to meet all of it.

Another OEM, Otto Aerospace, aims to disrupt the business and light utility sectors with its laminar-flow Phantom 3500, targeting the realm of manufacturers like Dassault and Gulfstream. It promises to cut fuel burn by nearly 60 percent by dramatically reducing drag, while also offering a longer range and larger cabin than others in its class.

Cecutta estimated it will cost less to develop the Phantom compared to a BWB. The main roadblock will be mass production—achieving laminar-flow requires eliminating microscopic defects or even specks of dust that can disrupt the delicate airflow, undermining its defining advantage. That will make manufacturing incredibly complex.

MOSAIC of New Options

Recreational pilots are expected to be some of the first to get their hands on AAM aircraft. A handful of private owners have already taken delivery of Pivotal’s BlackFly—a prototype of its flagship Helix—and Jetson’s Jetson One. Both are single-seat eVTOL models controlled using simple joysticks and fly-by-wire controls. Similarly, Lift Aircraft offers training and experiential flights with its Hexa eVTOL at dedicated centers.

Because they are Part 103 ultralight models, Helix, Jetson One, and Hexa pilots do not require FAA certification. Though they face heavy restrictions, such as being limited to daytime flights, owners would be able to store the aircraft in their backyard or garage, fly out of non-airport locations, shorten their commute to work, and spend less on maintenance.

The FAA’s refreshed MOSAIC rule allows aircraft with electric powerplants in the light sport aircraft (LSA) category. Florida’s Doroni Aerospace, another personal eVTOL developer, is explicitly targeting LSA certification for its H1-X.

MOSAIC also removes the previous LSA weight limit and permits simplified flight controls. Skyryse took hundreds of components out of Robinson Helicopter’s R66 to create its Skyryse One, with which it has demonstrated finger-swipe pickups and touchdowns. The company’s technology also streamlines fixed-wing aircraft.

At least one developer of so-called “flying cars” is even targeting LSA approval. Alef Aeronautics has an agreement for test flights at Half Moon Bay (KHAF) and Hollister Municipal (KCVH) airports in California. It plans to ramp up to testing with its VTOL Model A, which is designed to lift off from roads and soar over traffic. Once in the air, the vehicle is designed to rotate 90 degrees so that its sides become upper and lower wings. The driver’s seat—now a cockpit—gyrates forward to face what used to be the roof in car configuration. These drive-and-fly vehicles will take longer to achieve certification, if they ever do.

Early Adopters

Like GA pilots, military aviators will be among the first to incorporate AAM. Air taxi developers Beta, Joby Aviation, and Archer Aviation have all delivered aircraft to the U.S. Air Force under early research and development contracts, which are enticing for AAM startups. Each is pursuing a different autonomous, hybrid-electric variant.

Joby and L3Harris’ concept could serve as a sensor or surveillance platform. Archer and Anduril’s model could autonomously pair with crewed fighters to serve as a loyal wingman. Beta’s Alia MV250 is designed to meet military needs for runway independence, high payload, and extended range for regions such as the Indo-Pacific. 

“Helicopters don’t have the range and are very expensive to operate compared to these vehicles,” Cecutta said.

Reliable Robotics and Merlin Labs are retrofitting a range of airframes with flight automation systems designed to reduce two-person crews or enable uncrewed, remotely piloted operations for cargo and military users. The Air Force has already purchased and plans to deploy the former’s modified Cessna operationally.

Middle-mile logistics is another sector ripe for AAM. Per Cecutta, demand will be strong as supply chains become increasingly spread out and warehouses move outside cities. Cargo operators will also encounter less risk than passenger operators.

“You don’t need to convince packages to fly,” Cecutta said.

He added that just about every AAM manufacturer is targeting the health and public safety sector. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) is exploring fleet automation with Skyryse, while Sikorsky is developing an autonomous firefighting helicopter. Pivotal and emergency services in Hyde County, North Carolina, are testing the former’s BlackFly under a pilot program.

Adoption in these industries may be slower. Air taxis lack the specialized features—such as clamshell doors for loading bulky cargo—to meet their demands. Many AAM models also lack the payload and hovering capabilities of rotorcraft.

“They’re not going to replace helicopters anytime soon,” Cecutta said.

The FAA’s attitude toward its proposed Part 108 rule—which would unlock larger operations for small drones—could telegraph its approach to regulating future AAM aircraft.

Drone delivery is already spreading nationwide in states such as Texas, Arizona, and Florida, and it will only continue to grow once Part 108 does away with limitations that restrict range. However, pilots broadly disagree with the drone industry on issues such as right-of-way, with thousands submitting comments on the proposal. If the FAA sides with pilots, it could continue to restrict drone operations near airports and grant crewed aircraft right of way. If the agency listens to the industry, Part 108 could create an entirely new framework that puts the onus on pilots to avoid uncrewed aircraft in some scenarios.

Rules for larger AAM aircraft are much less clear. But the outcome of Part 108 could illuminate which voices have the FAA’s ear and could sway what it permits in the future.

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This column first appeared in the July Issue 972 of the FLYING print edition.