Southwest Airlines Strikes Deal For Electric Air Taxi Network (theverge.com) 12
Southwest Airlines has signed a deal with Archer Aviation to develop plans for an on-demand eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) service in California. The Verge reports: The service will operate using Archer's battery-powered, four-passenger, tilt-rotor Midnight aircraft, which are designed to take off and land vertically from a landing strip like a helicopter. As part of the deal, the aircraft will get access to 14 California airports where Southwest operates. [...] Archer claims that trips that normally take 60-90 minutes by car can be done in 10-20 minutes in the company's air taxis.
Archer came out of stealth in spring 2020 after having poached key talent from Wisk and Airbus' Vahana project. (That fact spurred a lawsuit from Wisk for alleged trade secret theft, which was finally settled last year.) The company has a $1 billion order from United Airlines for its eVTOL aircraft and a deal to mass-produce its eVTOL craft with global automaker Stellantis.
Archer recently received a Part 135 air carrier certification from the Federal Aviation Administration, which the company will need to operate an on-demand air taxi service. Archer has said it plans on launching before the end of 2025. [...] As part of the deal, Archer will work with Southwest and its partners on the development of an air taxi network across California. That includes the unions of Southwest employees, like the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association.
Archer came out of stealth in spring 2020 after having poached key talent from Wisk and Airbus' Vahana project. (That fact spurred a lawsuit from Wisk for alleged trade secret theft, which was finally settled last year.) The company has a $1 billion order from United Airlines for its eVTOL aircraft and a deal to mass-produce its eVTOL craft with global automaker Stellantis.
Archer recently received a Part 135 air carrier certification from the Federal Aviation Administration, which the company will need to operate an on-demand air taxi service. Archer has said it plans on launching before the end of 2025. [...] As part of the deal, Archer will work with Southwest and its partners on the development of an air taxi network across California. That includes the unions of Southwest employees, like the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association.
How long? (Score:2)
"Archer claims that trips that normally take 60-90 minutes by car can be done in 10-20 minutes in the company's air taxis" and "California".
I can name a more than few airports that Southwest services in California that can easily take more than 60-90 mins to get to and park during high-traffic times -- never mind navigating the airport itself.
Doesn't sound like a "solution" to any problems that I can see other than maybe hopping a ride to the NEXT airport to catch a flight if you missed one already and tha
Re: (Score:2)
Re: How long? (Score:2)
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Well, eVTOLs are supposed to be able to launch off helipads, so you just have to head towards your nearest helipad to fly you to the airport.
Though, given what I've seen so far, I'm not impressed. The aerospace industry is fascinated by eVTOLs and how they'd revolutionize transport, but so far it seems like it's just a huge grift. At this point, I'm amazed Elon Musk hasn't gotten into it. So many companies have poured a ton of money into eVTOL and still have very little to show for it.
And if you want to see
no chnage fees and no bag fees on this as well? (Score:2)
no chnage fees and no bag fees on this as well?
Joby just announced (Score:2)
What Could Possibly Go Wrong? (Score:3)
It's a very short range electric helicopter. Big Deal.
However, unlike a traditional helicopter, if something goes wrong, you die. Because it can't auto-rotate like a real helicopter. So how do they say these eVTOLs are safe? "Oh! There's redundancy in the electronics. Nothing could possibly fail!"
I mean, drones never crash, right? These are just big drones with new mechanical technology and 1000x more complex software. With basically no human flight tested hours. What are the odds?
They will run this service at a major loss, in order to get people excited about it.
By the way, unless you happen to live at their helipad, you still obviously have to drive there, park, etc. So if you were 60 minutes away, now you are about 45 minutes away. Also, If the helipad is going to be at an existing airport, now you have to go through TWO airports, parking, check-in, TSA, etc.
You are better off taking your chauffeured limo just drive you like you always have done; it's cheaper, pretty much the same time, and far less hassle. And if your e-Limo battery or electronics happen to fail, or even if there is a structural failure, odds are you can just pull to the side of the road. Rather than plummeting to your death crushed under flaming, pointy parts and giant battery.
Wake me up when you have the Quantum AI version going. It's already 3D laser printed. Maybe this will be the killer app for blockchain...
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Like _every_ modern small air crafts: it has parachutes.
And the likelihood that more than one engine fails is pretty low.
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Like _every_ modern small air crafts: it has parachutes.
And the likelihood that more than one engine fails is pretty low.
Most modern small aircraft do not have parachutes. With that major misunderstanding to your credit, on what basis are you claiming the engines won't fail? Electric engines in aircraft are not something for which there is really any data, because they're a new idea.
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Most modern small aircraft do not have parachutes.
They all have.
Or they are not certified to fly. Perhaps in your country legislation is different. Light aircrafts and ultra light aircrafts do not get a certification in France, Germany or Thailand (the countries I live in), if they do not have a "whole rescue system" (no idea how to translate properly into English), that consists of several parachutes and makes the whole craft landing softly in case of an emergency.
on what basis are you claiming the engine