In recent years, much of the mainstream buzz surrounding advanced air mobility (AAM) has focused on small, futuristic aircraft concepts like electric air taxis and so-called “flying cars” that affluent urbanites might use to bypass traffic jams in crowded cities. While the thought of whizzing around cities like characters in The Jetsons may captivate the public’s imagination, there’s another revolution brewing in the aviation industry that is far more likely to affect the lives of ordinary people: a resurgence of regional air mobility.
Recent advances in aerospace technology and the push for more sustainable air travel, as well as growing frustrations over traffic jams and airport congestion, are paving the way for a resurgence of short-range flights, according to a recent report by analysts at the consulting firm McKinsey & Company. The key technologies driving interest in regional air mobility (RAM) include new propulsion systems that produce less noise and zero emissions, as well as autonomous flight controls that could alleviate the pilot shortage by enabling single-pilot operations or even eliminating the need for onboard pilots.
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