- Beehive State included in program designed to integrate high-tech aircraft into country's airspace.
- Aerospace industry leaders say emerging aviation tech will improve Utah lives.
- Utah's elected officials salute today's aviation industry news.
Anyone who grew up watching “The Jetsons” surely imagined the cartoon’s futuristic flying cars one day becoming reality.
Now the airborne tech concepts of cartoon sci-fi — aka Advanced Air Mobility, or AAM — is a step closer.
On Tuesday, the Utah Department of Transportation announced it was selected to lead a federal pilot program to test advanced electric aircraft, along with other emerging aviation technologies in real-world operations.
The Federal Aviation Administration chose the Beehive State as one of eight projects nationwide for the Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) Integration Pilot program, according to UDOT. It’s a three-year initiative designed to help safely integrate advanced aircraft into the national airspace.
Utah will reportedly lead a partnership of states that includes Oregon, Idaho, Arizona and Oklahoma — along with several private partners and research institutions — to test new aviation technologies that industry leaders say will reshape flight in the United States.
“Our job is to look ahead and prepare for what transportation will look like in the future,” UDOT Executive Director Carlos Braceras said. “This partnership allows Utah to help lead the way as new aviation technologies become part of everyday mobility.”
Testing will take place across a wide range of operating environments throughout the western United States — including urban areas, rural corridors, mountainous terrain and wildfire-prone regions, according to UDOT.
Such diverse conditions will help federal aviation officials better understand how advanced aircraft perform in real-world scenarios.
UDOT Aeronautics has already deployed technology to support advanced aviation testing across the state. The division operates mobile command centers equipped with workstations and satellite connectivity that allow crews to connect aircraft systems, monitor live video and flight data, and coordinate testing operations from the field.
The portable units can reportedly be deployed statewide and will support data collection and testing as part of the federal pilot program.
The initiative’s industry partners include 47G, BETA Technologies, Ampaire, Joby Aviation, Lockheed Martin, Future Flight Global, Alpine Air and Jump Aero.
So how would AAM change daily life in Utah — and beyond?
AAM transportation utilizes electric aircraft that civic and industry leaders say can move people and packages to spots across Utah and beyond.
In an interview with the Deseret News, 47G President and CEO Aaron Starks said Tuesday’s announcement signals “Utah’s arrived.”
“Now we have permission to build — and I’m really excited because we’re only one of seven states allowed to do that,” he said. “There’s a lot of fun things to look forward to for the state of Utah.”
47G is a Utah aerospace and defense industry “ecosystem” comprised of over 200 members and a variety of local academic institutions.
Starks said he and his partners focused past efforts on convincing industry and federal stakeholders that Utah should be prioritized in the emerging technology.
The Beehive State, he noted, is well equipped to handle the aircraft technology initiative.
“It’s the ‘Crossroads of the West’. Thirty percent of the nation’s freight flows through Utah. And we have the No. 1 economy with the fastest growing aerospace and defense ecosystem in the country.”
In Utah, the project announced Tuesday will involve extensive planning between multiple communities, said Starks.
Its early stages will include flying conventional takeoff and landing aircraft that are electric or hybrid. Supporting such aircraft will require charging stations that will be strategically placed throughout the state.
Stage 1, added Starks, “will be focused on parcels and packages — and “Stage 2 ... will be mapping out where to place vertiport for passenger transport.”
Flying such aircraft is expected to begin by year’s end.
Ultimately, the AAM technology is hoped to improve air quality by taking cars off Utah’s busy roads. Starks points to one scenario where residents of, say, Cache Valley would hop aboard one of several daily AAM passenger flights to Ogden and Salt Lake City.
“We want to democratize this new form of technology,” he said. “We want it to be available to all consumers and residents here in the state.”
Beyond transportation convenience, Starks is enthused about the emerging technology’s economic reach. “It will be great for tourism and for sports and entertainment — and it’s going to be great for retail.”
And the industry, he added, can also improve wildfire and avalanche mitigation, improve medical service — and help clean up Utah’s environment.
“This is going to reduce emissions,” he said. “We know that 300 semitrucks a night are idling in neighborhoods throughout Salt Lake County, trying to wait for time to unload or transload freight. We are going to help remove some of that congestion.”
Placing Utah at the forefront of America’s ‘aviation technology’
Several of the state’s elected leaders celebrated Tuesday’s announcement.
“Utah has built a national reputation as a home to innovation,” Gov. Spencer Cox said in the UDOT release. “This partnership puts Utah at the forefront of the next generation of aviation technology while creating new opportunities for economic growth, research and workforce development across our state.”
A member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Utah Rep. Mike Kennedy added he was proud “to lead a multi-state initiative to the U.S. Department of Transportation” to highlight how Utah’s prepared to take a lead in aviation innovation.
“eVTOL tech is transforming aviation and Utah is ready to take the lead as one of the eight selected states. America wins when Utah leads.”
Senate President Stuart Adams, R-Layton, believes the initiative will accelerate “next-generation transportation” while positioning Utah “to showcase the future of flight as we welcome the world for the 2034 Winter Olympics.”
And U.S Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy added that eVTOL will “radically redefine personal travel, regional transportation, cargo logistics, emergency medicine and so much more.”
