Regional And Business Airports Group (RABA): Advanced Air Mobility Airports Conference

What is the basis of the argument that there are more small airports closer to passengers’ origins and destinations, than large airports – even those with great surface access? Which are the 20 UK domestic routes which UKRI is evaluating? (Demand for aircraft, power, infrastructure; and the hoped-for carbon emission savings). What are the top 150 routes – and how would the 40 RABA airports feature?

The reveal of the draft “Advanced Air Mobility Infrastructure Reference Manual”.

Initially produced in hybrid electric/turbine configuration the Bio Electric Hybrid Aircraft (BEHA M1H) will be engineered for evolution into a fully electric net zero commercial aircraft (when power generation technology delivers the power density levels required). The planned deliveries of 300 BEHAs 2026-30 includes 75 units in a quick-change passenger/cargo variant, “deployed at general aviation airfields globally”, a further 50 as pure freighters, and others for firefighting, border protection etc.

Ferrovial’s October 2021 announcement comprised an agreement with Vertical Aerospace, developer of the five-seat VA-X4 zero-emissions aircraft. Virgin Atlantic has options for 150 VA-X4’s for the purposes of “establishing short haul, electric aircraft connectivity between UK cities and airport hubs starting with London Heathrow, Manchester and London Gatwick.” Simultaneously Heathrow, a unit of Ferrovial, announced it is collaborating with Vertical Aerospace to explore the launch of its services from the airport from the mid-2020s. Other VA-X4 orders and options for 1,350 units worth $5.4bn have come from American Airlines, JAL, Bristow Group, Gol, Marubeni and Iberojet.

A €4 billion market by 2030? What is Skyports’ design-build-own-operate model for the provision of a network of vertiports for air taxi and cargo drone operations?

The presentation will take a closer look at the challenges and identify key gaps that are unlikely to be filled before the first AAM ports open and the new AAM aircraft are operating in urban environments. The presentation concludes by identifying recommendations for how Governments and Regulators can seek to minimise the impacts of the gaps to ensure that the coming air revolution does not falter before it begins.