Orlando International Airport Achieves Milestone in eVTOL Integration with FAA Assessment
Orlando International Airport (MCO) has made history by completing a three-day Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) assessment in collaboration with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This achievement marks MCO as only the second U.S. airport to participate in such an extensive eVTOL integration testing. The simulation was carried out using Human-in-the-Loop modeling at the FAA’s William J. Hughes Technical Center in New Jersey.
The focus of the assessment was to examine how electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft could operate safely within and around Orlando’s bustling airspace. The testing involved exploring potential routes, procedures, and integration scenarios with existing commercial and general aviation operations. Air traffic control specialists utilized cutting-edge simulated tower labs to evaluate the real-world operational impacts.
“This assessment reflects our drive to help lead the next evolution of flight,” stated Lance Lyttle, CEO of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority. MCO has pinpointed two potential sites for future air taxi vertiports and is leveraging its expansive 11,000+ acre property to serve as a testing ground for next-generation aviation technologies. This initiative is in support of the broader FAA eVTOL Integration Pilot Program, which was announced in September 2025.
Source: AvWeb