American Airlines reserves 50 flying taxis
- Reference: 1658147412
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2022/07/18/american_airlines_vx4/
- Source link:
The [1]commitment [PDF] comes just over a year after the aviation giant made a pre-order for 250 of the flying taxis, with an option for a further 100.
Shares in Vertical Aerospace jumped as the news was announced, rising from $2.90 to $5, but still a long way from the $10-plus highs of 2021.
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Vertical Aerospace claims its VX4 will be 100x quieter than a helicopter and have a top speed of 202mph. Its range will be at least 100 miles and it can carry five people (including the pilot). Being electric, the aircraft will also have zero operating emissions, the company said.
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Electric VTOL aircraft have long been a dream of designers around the world. There was, for example, [5]the "Puffin" of 2010 , but the VX4 has eschewed the flying car concept in favor of what amounts to a flying taxi. The aircraft is, however, subject to certification. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) are to concurrently certify the machine with a view to operations commencing in the UK and Europe in 2025. A nod from the US Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) will also be needed before the VX4 can commence US operations.
[6]Panasonic picks Kansas for $4b EV battery plant
[7]US EV drivers won't be able to choose vehicle safety alert sounds
[8]Toyota, Subaru recall EVs because tires might literally fall off
[9]Totaled Tesla goes up in flames three weeks after crash
American Airlines currently operates just over 900 aircraft and has orders for more than 500 on the books, of which 350 could potentially be VX4 vehicles.
Derek Kerr, chief financial officer at American Airlines, said of the deal: "We have made great strides in simplifying our fleet with newer and more fuel-efficient aircraft, and are proud to take part in another step toward the development of advanced air mobility."
In a recent [10]letter to shareholders [PDF], Vertical Aerospace boasted that the prototype VX4 was nearly complete and would be kicking off its flight test program in the summer of 2022. It also talked up its pre-order book, which stands at up to 1,350 aircraft with a value of $5.4 billion, according to the company.
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However, it is the move by American Airlines to reserve its first 50 aircraft with a pre-delivery payment commitment that makes a fleet of eVTOL aircraft seem closer to reality than science fiction. ®
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[1] https://vertical-aerospace.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/ver_VerticalAerospace_PressRelease_americanairline_02.pdf
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2YtWDqRzlRjz3yOZCT65figAAAME&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YtWDqRzlRjz3yOZCT65figAAAME&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33YtWDqRzlRjz3yOZCT65figAAAME&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://www.theregister.com/2010/01/21/puffin_vtol_pod/
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2022/07/14/panasonic_picks_kansas_for_new_ev_battery_plant/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2022/07/13/ev_sounds/
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2022/06/27/toyota_subaru_recall_evs_because/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2022/06/23/tesla_model_s_explodes_after/
[10] https://s29.q4cdn.com/421996561/files/doc_financials/2022/q1/Q1-2022-Vertical-Aerospace-Shareholder-Letter-(1).pdf
[11] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YtWDqRzlRjz3yOZCT65figAAAME&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[12] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Re: Greenwashing
Zero emissions at point of use is in any case a plus.
And in any case less than 100% total energy use will generate CO2 / particulate / other emissions.
Not to mention a significant reduction in noise pollution is always welcome.
Re: Greenwashing
Yes, but companies can choose where they buy their electricity and this has moved the dial a bit. It's quite possible that an airline could have its own solar supply for this kind of thing.
Perhaps more important: will these be new journeys? Or what are they replacing?
Re: Greenwashing
"Perhaps more important: will these be new journeys? Or what are they replacing?"
Impossible to know really without knowing hat the operating costs are. The manufacturer's website gives peak engine power and range but not battery capacity, so can't estimate electric power consumption/km. They say it's simple to drive/navigate, but before it's certified we don't know if it needs to be flown by an experienced captain or the air equivalent of an Uber driver. And there's also no word on maintenance requirements, although the basic idea with electric having less moving parts = less maintenance requirements probably holds true.
Given the form factor of pilot + 4 passengers I'd say it's targeted to replace helicopters, but also given the less noise generated I'm willing to bet they want to expand helicopter taxi service into urban areas where helicopters are currently not allowed. Basically an executive taxi service, which will also be priced accordingly. It's unlikely to be of use as a delivery vehicle (given a 4-passenger limit it's likely that it's load limit is at most 500kg) except for high-value / low weight items - I'm thinking medical supplies / transplant organs and the like.
Re: Greenwashing
That is correct. Operating a vehicle at true zero emissions is a puzzle of two pieces: the vehicle, and the power plant.
Nevertheless, if you want to eventually complete the puzzle, you do have to have both pieces, so any progress on one of them is a good thing.
Re: Greenwashing
Don't forget the manufacturing stage. That will consume a significant amount of energy that may not be particularly green.
I see a lot of flash, but very little information about where they're going to put all the batteries necessary to provide that stated range, especially given VTOL requires a great deal more energy than a conventional runway landing. Current and near-future cell technology doesn't have the energy density necessary to get the sort of performance they're promising. Shades of the Nikola HGV scam, IMO.
Still.. it is a win win situation.
American airlines gets into the news, and the manufacturer gets to tell impatient investors that they have "sales".
There is a loooooong way from a working prototype to a certified product in series production.
Surely we already have VTOL aircraft that can carry a small number of people for a short distance. It's called a helicopter.
The maintenance and running costs mean that small aircraft are a very expensive way to move people about and as such their use is confined to very rich people, or terrain where no alternative exists.
What's the usage scenario for this? Honest question.
With a range of only 100 miles, I'm having difficulties thinking of a scenario where you would not be better off using a car. Just the drive to and from the airports, parking and getting to the actual vehicle, even with all the fast-tracking the very wealthy can get, would almost always take longer than just driving 100 miles door-to-door.
Maybe if you're the kind of uber-rich that has a landing pad in their own garden, and you want to go to a party at some other uber-rich's place, that also has a landing pad in his garden, and happens to be more than 20 miles away (otherwise you're better off driving), but less than 100, and also happens to have the facilities to fast-charge the vehicle, so you can use it to fly back? Seems a bit contrived.
Greenwashing
Being electric, the aircraft will also have zero operating emissions, the company said.
Unless electricity is made from coal or gas, that is 60% of the electricity made in the US in 2021.