Will We Eever Hail a Flying Taxi?

The aviation industry has teased the development of a new type of affordable, sustainable aircraft, advanced air mobility (AAM) flyers, to help reduce passenger congestion and to open up the urban commuting landscape to more rural areas. Often called “air taxis,” eVTOL aircraft have the potential to not only replace traditional carbon-emitting short-range flights but could also help ferry commuters across busy metropolitan areas. Despite some progress in making air taxis a reality, there remain some nagging questions that must be answered. The biggest of which is whether flying taxis will solve real problems for real people or if they are more akin to the cryptocurrency of aviation.