Four signals shaping Advanced Air Mobility this week: Archer’s Florida eIPP selection moves Midnight closer to H2 2026 operations, BETA Technologies completes 23 flights in Scotland and signs an expansion MOU with Loganair, Aviation Week surfaces the maintenance workforce bottleneck no commercial model is pricing, and Electra’s EL9 joins the eIPP as the one participant whose infrastructure math bypasses the vertiport dependency entirely.
Hawaii is positioning itself for federal eVTOL Integration Pilot Program selection through a partnership combining existing airline operations with electric aircraft technology. Surf Air Mobility, the Hawaii Department of Transportation, and BETA Technologies submitted a joint eIPP application on January 27, leveraging Mokulele Airlines’ position as Hawaii’s largest commuter carrier by scheduled departures. The partnership plans to initially conduct cargo missions between Mokulele’s existing interisland routes using BETA’s ALIA electric aircraft, building on the airline’s 36,000 flights in 2025 averaging 51 miles, ideal for first generation electric aircraft. If selected, the initiative would advance electric aviation through real world regional airline integration rather than theoretical deployment scenarios.