Orlando Airport Pioneers FAA eVTOL Integration Assessment
Orlando International Airport has successfully concluded a pioneering three-day Advanced Air Mobility assessment with the FAA. This groundbreaking exercise tested the integration of electric air taxis into one of America’s busiest airspace systems.
The simulation was carried out at the FAA’s William J. Hughes Technical Center in New Jersey. It utilized Human-in-the-Loop modeling to evaluate various eVTOL aircraft integration scenarios. Local air traffic controllers tested a range of operational procedures in state-of-the-art simulated tower labs. The focus was on how electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft could coexist with conventional air traffic.
“This assessment reflects our drive to help lead the next evolution of flight,” said Lance Lyttle, CEO of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority.
Orlando International becomes only the second U.S. airport to participate in this type of comprehensive FAA assessment. This highlights its proactive approach to advanced air mobility integration.
The airport has identified two potential vertiport sites and leverages its expansive 11,000-acre footprint as a “proving ground for next-generation aviation technologies.” The assessment builds on a November 2024 tabletop exercise that evaluated AAM integration strategies. This demonstrates MCO’s commitment to preparing infrastructure for the future of urban air mobility.
Through this collaboration with the FAA, NASA, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, and Florida Department of Transportation, Orlando positions itself as a leader in safely introducing new airspace entrants into the National Airspace System. This is a significant step ahead of anticipated commercial eVTOL operations.
Source: AVweb