United Airlines Ordered 200 More Eve Flying Taxis

September 12, 2022 By Monica Green

(Image Credit Google)

Last week, United Airlines announced paying $15 million to secure a conditional prepurchase agreement for 200 electric flying taxis developed by Eve Air Mobility (EAM). EAM is a startup founded by Brazilian planemaker Embraer. According to Business Insider, United Airlines is quite confident that eVTOLs (electrically powered vertical take-off and landing vehicles) will be the future of short-haul, urban flights.

The United Airlines and Eam Deal

The deal between United Airlines and EAM includes options for another 200 Eve flying taxis. In addition, the announcement comes a month after the airline paid a $10 million pre-delivery deposit for 100 eVTOLS (developed by Archer Aviation), as per Business Insider. Also, United has 200 on order in partnership with Mesa Airlines.

Furthermore, United revealed that it will receive the first deliveries of electric Eve by 2026. However, eVTOL is yet not certified by aviation regulators. So, that expectation is pretty far-fetched. On another note, Michael Leskinen, United Airlines Ventures president, noted in a press release that last week's announcement made United the first major airline to invest in two separate eVTOL companies. Besides that, major airlines, like American Airlines and Virgin Atlantic Airways, are investing big in eVTOLs to reduce carbon emissions.

‘Certification Would Be a Complex Process'

Business Insider reported that certification would be a complex process. The reason is that the urban air mobility industry still lacks regulatory oversight, robust infrastructure, and an air traffic management plan, among other problems. Simon Whalley of Skyports (a UK startup developing a network of vertiports) stated, "You're operating at lower levels. So, you're close to people, and you're close to buildings. Hence, you're dealing with visual and sound blight, for example. So, all those things are going to have to be taken into consideration by the industry." But, Business Insider disclosed that the Federal Aviation Administration and the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority have started "discussions focused on facilitating certification and validating new eVTOL aircraft, production, continued airworthiness, operations, and personnel licensing."

Details About the Flying Taxis by Eve

Business Insider revealed that the eVTOL is designed for short-haul flights in urban areas at low altitudes. In addition, the designers expect airlines and tour operators to use these vehicles to transfer passengers between city hubs and airports. Moreover, Eve also disclosed a mockup of the five-seater aircraft at the Farnborough International Air Show in July. EAM claims Eve can travel up to 60 miles and fly up to 150 miles per hour. In February, EAM's David Rottblatt said that the flying taxi could cover 99% of intra-metro travel. Additionally, Eve's cabin can seat up to four people in two rows facing each other. Plus, the cockpit is separate from the passenger seats. In addition, the mockup had limited flight controls—a display screen and a small control stick. But, the company revealed to Business Insider that they would likely change this design after flight testing. On another note, Thales (an Aerospace company) will develop the avionics, flight controls, navigation, and other systems in Eve. Plus, United claims that Eve has the potential to reduce noise levels by as much as 90%, as reported by Business Insider. Eve Flying Taxis

Lastly, Flavia Ciaccia, Eve's VP of User Experience and Market Intelligence, told Business Insider that the cabin on display was just a mockup. Consequently, they will use feedback from companies operating the vehicle to fine-tune the final design. She also revealed that EAM hopes to start deliveries of the eVTOL by 2026 and receive certification before then. Most importantly, the orders for the flying taxis by Eve exceeds 2,000. Thus, the New York-based EAM tops the list among other eVTOL makers.

By Monica Green

I am specialised in latest tech and tech discoveries.

United Airlines Ordered 200 More Eve Flying Taxis

The United Airlines and Eam Deal

‘Certification Would Be a Complex Process'

Details About the Flying Taxis by Eve

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