Volocopter’s 2X soars above Florida’s skies as part of flight test campaign with Tampa International Airport
Volocopter has marked the first-ever flight test of an eVTOL aircraft in an operational and large international airport in the USA, after kicking off a multilayered flight test campaign with Tampa International Airport in Florida.
The flight test campaign featured Volocopter’s 2X and consisted of aircraft downwash and outwash testing with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and performance testing in local environmental conditions. This milestone also represented the first time an eVTOL aircraft has flown in the Sunshine State.
Dirk Hoke, CEO of Volocopter, added: “Flying at a large, active airport always presents a multitude of challenges, but we proved that our aircraft is safe, quiet, and efficiently useful in a city like Tampa. Volocopter sees this as a starting point of the entry into service in the U.S., and we will come back to show our continued progress. We thank all attending guests for the support given to make this first-ever eVTOL flight in Florida a success.”
Tampa International Airport is a major economic driver for the Tampa Bay region and is the gateway to the west coast of Florida. It is consistently ranked among the world’s most beloved airports, serving more than 23 million annual passengers with routes to more than 85 nonstop destinations.
The airport has received top awards at the state, national and international level, including being ranked the #1 Large Airport North America by J.D. Power in 2022 and 2023 and the fifth in the world in customer satisfaction among airports of its size.
Invitees to this event included Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Jared Purdue, Mayor of Tampa Jane Castor, and leaders from Congress who are supporting UAM industry growth, regulatory advancement, and acceleration of public acceptance of eVTOL aircraft in the country
Joe Lopano, CEO of Tampa International Airport, added: “Tampa International Airport has always embraced innovation and futuristic planning, and we’ve already identified a potential site for urban air mobility as a part of our Master Plan. This technology has the potential to transform the aviation and transportation industry, and we’re excited to partner with Volocopter as we introduce and visualize the amazing possibilities that lie ahead.”
Stateside, Volocopter recently announced its partnership with the Bristow Group to begin operations of eVTOL aircraft in the near future, with Florida being one of the targeted areas of operation.
Since 2018, Volocopter has flown in Las Vegas, Oshkosh, Dallas-Fort Worth area, and Tampa. Continued and visible flight test campaigns in view of the public are crucial steps to building an efficient UAM ecosystem that receives the communities’ support. This includes cities, with Volocopter’s partnership with Urban Movement Labs in Los Angeles which was signed in 2021.
Volocopter expects to receive a final certification of its commercial eVTOL aircraft, the VoloCity, from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in 2024. The company is also in the concurrent validation process with the FAA, which was submitted in 2020.