Viewpoint: Pragmatic Implementation Key To AAM Adoption

Aviation is on the cusp of a revolution brought about by advancements in electric propulsion technology, coupled with improvements in materials and flight control systems enabling unique and novel aircraft designs. 

But before this industry proceeds to commercial operations at pace, stakeholders must consider the hazards and risks associated with their intended operations. The hazards are broad, including but not limited to aviation safety, technical difficulties, training concerns, human resources issues, lack of infrastructure, financial plans, government regulations and public opinion.

Perhaps most concerning of all is the risk that if we fail as an industry early on, particularly in regard to safety, technical or public opinion, we may hinder the potential development and scale of advanced air mobility (AAM) and decarbonization of aviation more broadly.

Because of its lower environmental impact and lower cost structure compared to traditional aviation, AAM has the potential to change the way we move ourselves and goods around the world. Because of this potential and the projections for scale, there will be numerous new companies started, hundreds of thousands of new jobs created, and broad geographic disbursement to support new transport networks. The potential is truly amazing.

To reach this potential, however, we must first pragmatically implement this new technology in commercial applications. This will demonstrate to regulators and the general public that we can operate these aircraft safely, efficiently and reliably.

In recent years, Bristow Group has engaged with many companies developing new aircraft for regional and urban mobility models. We have also met with regulators in various jurisdictions responsible for vehicle certification, production and local air operations. Additionally, we have consulted with government members and agencies at both local and national levels involved in planning and potentially funding these new mobility networks.

Furthermore, we have had numerous discussions with current and potential investors. The excitement and interest in AAM are evident from the tens of billions of dollars (or its equivalent) invested, the numerous aircraft development announcements, and the collaboration of cities and regions worldwide with companies to launch mobility networks.

These discussions led us to develop a philosophy for how Bristow should proceed with the early adoption of AAM.

That philosophical approach has been distilled into five theses via a recently released e-book, which is available for download here.

The basis of the following theses is derived from decades of operating vertical lift aircraft, and from discussions with various aerospace and regulatory experts. As this nascent industry develops, it is vital we leverage the lessons learned from successful air carriers and we consider a culture of safety and not just safety as a technology before we embark on commercial operations.

The five theses with a brief explanation are:   

1. Early-stage AAM operations should focus on a business-to-business model supporting a logistics network in an industrial area within a 20-km 60-km range.

• Start slow, prove that multiple takeoff and landings cycles and charging systems work in a commercial environment.

2. AAM commercial operations will be required to be conducted by licensed air carriers and, particularly in the early stage, those experienced in vertical lift safety management will be most efficient at doing so.

• Recognize the requirement to be an airline, not just a transportation network supplier.

3. Early stage AAM operations are best conducted by companies experienced in purchasing and configuring aircraft for their intended uses, and AAM manufacturers would be advised to work with experienced commercial operators during product development processes to ensure a successful early adoption of AAM by the public and in the marketplace.

• Understand not all certified aircraft configurations meet the intended commercial use cases.

4. Early AAM operations should be conducted by air carriers with existing infrastructure that have the capability and desire to collaborate and share certain data to enable AAM to scale globally.

• Early use of existing infrastructure in proving out commercial viability will assist in the large-scale investment necessary for scaling globally.

5. Air carriers involved in AAM flight operations should have appropriate equipment, programs, and personnel in place to manage health and flight data in a manner consistent with aviation industry best practices.

• Data will be king. The vast amounts of data derived from early commercial operations will enable a rapid early adoption process if the flight and health data is used appropriately.

David Stepanek is the executive VP and Chief Transformation Officer at Bristow Group

Disclaimer:

This article is not meant to represent the position or opinions of Bristow Group Inc. and its affiliates. Neither Bristow Group Inc. nor any of its affiliates warrants the completeness or accuracy of this article.