We are on the verge of big happenings in the Urban Air Mobility (UAM) world. Large amounts of money are flowing into the coffers of those companies which dared to pioneer in the area. Large firms are partnering with these aerial startups. And the Federal Aeronautics Administration is paying attention while actively pursuing certification for the new machines headed our way. Jay Merkle, FAA Certification and Airspace Integration At the Transportation Review Board’s annual meeting in Orlando, Florida, Jay Merkle, head of the FAA’s UAS integration office, told attendees that six (Urban Air Mobility) UAM vehicles are “well along,” according to a report in Aviation Today. He held that the growing market is ““more than just hype … this is more than just promotional videos.” Merkle apparently feels current regulations such as FAR Part 23 are adequate to help these new electric Vertical Take Off and Landing (eVTOL) machines be certified. Merkle feels the machines in progress can provide service …
SAS 2019: Dr. Sangita Gupta and ASX
Two years ago, the Airspace X (ASX) MOBi promised to achieve passenger costs equal to an Uber Black ride. More importantly, the company promised that it might take back our lives, eliminating the frustration and wasted time lost in traffic gridlock. We caught up with ASX at this year’s Sustainable Aviation Symposium, held at UC Berkeley. Dr. Anita Sengupta, co-founder and Chief Product Officer for the firm explained the current outlook for ASX. Where the MOBi-One (Mobility-One) looked like an offshoot of Airbus’s Pop-Up modular vehicle, it is now close to one of Uber’s concept craft used to guide designers. Dr. Sengupta’s background as aerospace engineer, rocket scientists and veteran of the space program has led her from deep space back to earth and to more terrestrial flight regimes. She explains that transition in this short video. She started her career at Boeing Space and Communications, helping launch vehicles and communications satellites. She went on to 16 years with NASA, …