There are more solutions than obstacles. Nicolas Zart
It’s been a while since I had time to write, and I hate it. So without further ado, let’s look at what shaped the world of advanced air mobility (AAM) over the past two months. Yes, it’s been that long…
Piper Germany Moving Ahead with the MDA1 Electric Commuter
According to LinkedIn, Piper Deutschland AG announced its strategic investment in MD Aircraft GmbH with the goal of collaborating on the development and production of the all-electric regional aircraft MDA1 eViator. “The MDA1 eViator is a milestone for decentralized air mobility in Europe,” says Patrick Weilbach, CEO of Piper Deutschland AG. The partnership strengthens the technical and financial foundation of the project and adds valuable expertise in sales, maintenance, and customer support.
The MDA1 eViator is a clean-sheet design, developed for short takeoff and landing operations (<500 m), offering a range of approximately 400 km and seating for nine passengers. Its modular architecture makes it highly versatile. The combination of lightweight composite structures (CFRP/GFRP), swappable energy modules, and an aerodynamically optimized airframe ensures maximum efficiency in all-electric flight. The battery module system allows for quick pack replacement and is already designed with future energy carriers in mind – including hydrogen and E-fuel-based hybrid solutions – enabling flexible and scalable operations over time.
The aircraft already complies with EASA CS-23 certification standards, positioning it for regular commercial operation within the European regional aviation market.
BETA Technologies Has 2 eCTOL in the Air
Sometimes it’s difficult to see who’s doing what and who’s ahead of what, if you get caught up with the never-ending flow of press releases from the top AAM companies. However, one of them has an edge, BETA. It is the only company to our knowledge that has two electric conventional takeoff and landing (eCTOL) aircraft of its modified eVTOL in flight today with two independent operators. The ALIA CTOL is in New Zealand with ANZ, and the other is over to Bristow Group. Bristow’s pilots took it to the skies for the first time on Friday. The flight marks the start of a six-month series of evaluations within Norway’s international test arena for zero- and low-emission aviation. The aircraft can accommodate two crew members and up to 5.6 cubic metres of cargo up to 215 nautical miles (~250 miles & 398 kilometres).
And lest we neglect the other important news, BETA accomplished its IPO. The company announced that it “expects to receive net proceeds of approximately USD700.3 million based on an initial public offering price of USD30.00 per share, the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.
“We believe we are the first electric aircraft OEM with a scale production facility, and we have room to grow,… more than 300 aircraft annually at maturity through optimized processes and manufacturing flows. We have site control and permits for expansion to over 355,000 square feet to accommodate significant future growth.”
magniX Samson Batteries to Power Bye Aerospace’s eFlyer
This news means a lot to me because over a decade ago, I met with George Bye and was impressed with his background and the challenge he set for himself again. An electric two-seater, and eventually a four-seater. magniX announced that Bye Aerospace will use its magniX’s Samson battery product to power its eFlyer 2 aircraft prototype. Bye Aerospace has ordered Samson batteries for the first flight of the two-seat all-electric training aircraft, scheduled for early 2026.
Airports Embracing AAM
It has taken time for airports to get interested in AAM. Today, more of them are looking into what the industry is shaping up to become and the role of airports within the nascent segment of mobility.
If our AAM Master Class in Rome of 2025 proved something, it is that airport designers and architects are intrigued and interested in their future role with AAM. The kudos was not only above what we had hoped for but also showed a strong demand for quality education and deep-industry knowledge workshops. All were met with Brio in Rome last September, where we announced the next AAM Master Class to be held in Vancouver, Canada, in September 2026!
This is a good in-depth read on how airports are tackling our future of mobility.
Electra ‘Broken’ Hub-and-Spoke Airport Model
According to Flying, Electra, a company we covered here and had on our podcast, The Ways We Move previously, CEO Marc Allen describes as the “broken” hub-and-spoke airport model.
“What [Apple] did was they intersected a number of emerging and developed technologies that yielded something people had always wanted,” Allen said. “Likewise, everybody’s always known that air travel ought to be connecting us from where we are to where we want to go, without long drives to airports, long security lines, waiting at gates for a long time. We’ve all wanted to be able to use the air the same way we use the roads.”
We hope to have Marc back on the podcast or Marc Allen soon.
Joby’s First FAA-conforming eVTOL Prototype
Last, but not least, Joby achieves the first FAA-conforming eVTOL prototype and steals the crown for a short while in the frenetic AAM race. According to Charlotte Bailey at AIN, Joby put to work one of the first of several aircraft built for FAA type inspection authorization (TIA). Due to make its inaugural flight later this year, with the U.S. air safety agency’s pilots set to take the helm in 2026 to conduct “for-credit” testing, Joby explained that “TIA is widely understood to mark the final stage of the type certification process.” Joby estimates it has completed 75% of the fourth and penultimate phase, dubbed “testing and analysis,” with the remaining portion to be completed over the next year. Although the start of TIA testing is in line with earlier timelines, Joby has not, however, clarified dates around certification expectations.
I hope to get back on schedule. But next, see, hear, and read about the resoundingly successful eVTOL Show USA I was honored to chair again this year…