Duffy on Friday became the first transportation secretary to fly in an eVTOL aircraft, the Transportation Department said Monday. Duffy called the sortie a “historic flight into the future” and said eVTOL models will “fundamentally change the way people and products move.”
Duffy’s flight at Beta’s Burlington, Vermont, headquarters comes as the DOT prepares to introduce more eVTOL aircraft to American skies.
Beta is one of many manufacturers participating in the FAA’s eVTOL Integration Pilot Program (eIPP), which CEO Kyle Clark in April said could begin as soon as September. The program will span 26 states and last at least three years. The FAA will allow participants to conduct operations with real airports and air traffic controllers using precertified aircraft.
The DOT on Monday said the eIPP will test a range of potential applications, including urban air taxi services, regional passenger transport, autonomous flight, and cargo, logistics, and medical delivery. It revealed eight lead participants-state and local transportation departments that have partnered with manufacturers, operators, and infrastructure providers-in March. Beta is working with seven of them.
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