December 2023
2023 was an exciting year for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) worldwide. But what can we expect for 2024? Should we prepare for a period of disillusionment, or can we look forward to new heights? We asked leaders from aircraft manufacturers about their realistic plans and expectations.
Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) encompasses a variety of highly automated and electrically powered aircraft, described by concepts such as eVTOL (Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing Aircraft), eCTOL (Electric Conventional Takeoff and Landing Aircraft) and eSTOL (Electric Short Takeoff and Landing Aircraft), each designed for specific use cases in area of urban and regional air mobility and regional air transport.
Alongside other key priorities such as sustainability, digital transformation, and operational efficiency, AAM is becoming more and more a relevant focus area in the aviation sector. Munich Airport International (MAI) stands as a consultancy at the forefront, actively supporting clients in developing AAM, with special focus on airport integration.
In the ever-evolving landscape of AAM, the year 2023 was full of interesting developments. The outlook for AAM remains a mosaic of opportunities and challenges. As 2023 ends, speculation intensified about the trajectory of AAM in the upcoming year - whether it signifies a period of consolidation and disillusionment or ushers in new highlights and milestones.
The AAM industry and those involved in it are preparing to write another chapter in its development-story that will set the course for the long-term future. Aircraft OEMs are relevant drivers of progress.
To gain an insight into 2024, leading OEM representatives have presented their views, plans and expectations.
At Joby, we’re laser focused on moving closer to type certification of our aircraft, ramping up manufacturing, and laying the groundwork for commercial operations. In 2024, we’ll continue to execute against our plan in all three areas, building on the incredible progress we made last year from delivering our first aircraft to Edwards Air Force Base to submitting all of our area-specific certification plans. I couldn’t be more excited for the year ahead.
Airbus is committed to the goal of enabling fully electric flights and is making a decisive contribution to the development of Advanced Air Mobility. This includes the development of the new CityAirbus NextGen eVTOL and the future ecosystem around it, including airspace and ground infrastructure. We are proud of our long-standing partnership with Munich Airport International and their close collaboration for example in the frame of the Air Mobility Initiative in Bavaria, Germany, following the vision to build a first demonstrator of the Advanced Air Mobility ecosystem.
Lilium has just received Design Organization Approval from EASA and based on technical progress and EASA regulatory advancements, we are thrilled to be shifting from the design phase to industrialization of the Lilium Jet and remain on track towards our next key milestones - roll out of the first full scale Lilium Jet and the opening of our flight test center in Oberpfaffenhofen in 2024. 2024 will be a very exciting year for Lilium and the whole eVTOL industry paving the way for the future of sustainable aviation!
Next year will be crucial in the development of our regional hybrid-electric airplane, the ES-30. We will select key suppliers, with a focus on the hybrid power train, and we will mature our product as well as our company. We will also be pushing policy makers across Europe and beyond to ensure they understand the potential that electric and hybrid-electric aircraft represent for sustainable regional connectivity and give these new technologies the same attention as SAF. Both avenues are vital, and a balanced focus will ensure a more comprehensive and effective approach to decarbonizing aviation.
The year 2023 has been beyond successful for VÆRIDION and the eCTOL market. We expect nothing less from the years to come and are looking into a future of positive change towards green air mobility. Having secured the first pre-application contract with EASA as a CS-23 aircraft manufacturer marked a pivotal step for our project. In 2024, we plan to deepen our collaboration with European authorities and will continue our work towards obtaining type certification. Strengthening partnerships in the ecosystem, we're set to expand our customer base, building on successful collaborations with the ASL Group, Copenhagen Helicopters, and Copenhagen Air Taxi. On aircraft side, we are transitioning from technology to a design phase, focusing on ground tests and a full-scale copper bird. We’re looking forward to the year 2024 that promises to be another twelve months filled with milestones and exciting opportunities for VÆRIDION
Obviously, 2024 has a large bouquet of milestones and events in store - it will be a very exciting year in any case. But it will also be a year of setting the course:
The given front-runner-sandboxes cover risk and serve as a crucial platform to demonstrate technological readiness. Companies involved strive to demonstrate realistic use cases that convince passengers and the public and ultimately keep investors and supporters involved. In times of high interest rates, climate change and rising energy costs, the challenges could not be greater. If expectations are not met in 2024, it will be harder for many players in the industry to gain trust and support. However, given the commitment of the leading companies and the increasing support from regulatory bodies and authorities, the chance that it will be an exciting year is there.
The direction in which AAM will develop - global rise of AAM, striking the niche or lacking t(h)rust - will become clear in 2024. At global conferences such as the Passenger Terminal Conference in Frankfurt or the Air Taxi World Congress in Dubai, leading experts, including experts from MAI, will present news and updates.
Smart concepts and well-considered decisions can path the way into the future, against the given headwinds and challenges.
At Munich Airport International (MAI) we understand the significance of new technology, innovation and related business models and are dedicated to supporting our clients' success in this challenging environment. If you manage the complexity of AAM projects, you can be sure that with MAI you have a committed partner at your side.
Always get the latest news and exciting insights about our AAM activities, conferences, projects and much more!
The airport planning and architectural design experts at our subsidiary amd.sigma have extensive experience in the planning of Vertiports. From the perspective of the amd experts, regional airports will play a special role in Advanced Air Mobility.
If you would like to learn more about the concept of interregional e-Airports, we recommend the paper "interregional eAirports" by Olaf Bünck, which you also find in the downloads here.
