Embraer’s urban air mobility (UAM) affiliate, Eve, has signed a pair of deals to prepare the rollout of electric takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft in Miami, including planned air taxi shuttles between the city’s airport and main convention center.
The first development involved the creation of a consortium between Eve and UAM infrastructure, tech, and user organizations to work up a Concept of Operations (CONOPS) plan for eVTOL air taxis between the Miami Beach Convention Center and airport. The second centered on the company co-signing a letter of intent for the purchase of up to 200 Eve planes by Global Crossing Airlines Group (GlobalX) – a US 121 domestic flag and supplemental airline that operates Airbus’s A320 family of aircraft.
The GlobalX transaction brings the total number of orders for Eve eVTOL aircraft to 1,785 – a lot of work to get done before 2026, when the company plans to begin delivering units. Just as significant, according to Eve, is the potentials of its work with GlobalX to develop UAM services in and around Miami as part of the new consortium’s CONOPS project.
Under that grouping, Eve will work with eVTOL UAM service provider and infrastructure developer Skyports, aerospace and defense tech company L3Harris, and the nonprofit Community Air Mobility Initiative (CAMI), which promotes the launch and integration of next-generation transport. The objective of that collective effort will be to produce a viable, forward-looking CONOPS document for Miami services.
According to Eve’s release, Skyports will oversee details on the design, construction, and operation of vertiports for UAM aircraft; L3Harris will integrate next-generation Air Traffic Management technologies to enable eVTOL operations; and CAMI will be responsible for the integration of UAM into communities – initially in organizing the consortium’s consultation and exchanges with the public on future air taxi shuttles in Miami.
“Miami-Dade County and Florida present a great opportunity for Eve to create a blueprint that can be replicated in markets in North America and other regions as we look toward the introduction of UAM operations,” said Eve co-CEO Andre Stein. “Eve and the consortium have gained valuable insights into how best we, and our peers, can prepare the ecosystem to launch and scale safely. We are excited to continue working with all stakeholders in Miami-Dade County and the community on the next phases of this concept of operations.”
The consortium’s initial “listen-and-learn” period is expected to last until June 30, 2022. Drawing on insights attained in that process, the group will incorporate community input and present its CONOPS proposal to the county and public stakeholders later this summer.
Ed Wegel, CEO of GlobalX, said he would follow developments in that work as it progressed, and looked forward to its Eve eVTOL aircraft being part of future UAM services in Miami and beyond.
“We are honored to be working with Eve Air Mobility and believe their affiliation with Embraer ensures Eve will be the best positioned eVTOL” manufacturer, Wegel said. “These eVTOLs will enable us to expand our market throughout south Florida, bringing our customers to their flights at MIA and FLL, as well as local flying within Key West and all of the Keys, Naples, and Palm Beach. This will help extend and expand our brand.”
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Comments