Archer Aviation is showcasing a new mixed-reality flight training device for the four-passenger Midnight eVTOL aircraft this week at the Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation, and Education Conference in Orlando, Florida. Developed in partnership with Vertex Solutions, a company that specializes in extended-reality training tools, Archer is targeting “an eVTOL equivalent” of FAA Level 7 FTD certification for the Midnight MR FTD.

Portuguese helicopter operator Helibravo Aviação and vertiport developer Bluenest, part of the Spanish infrastructure group Globalvia, plan to demonstrate urban air mobility flights at Lisbon’s first vertiport in May.

The FAA has granted a Part 141 flight school certificate to Joby Aviation, clearing the California-based eVTOL manufacturer to train and certify pilots for commercial air taxi operations. Announcing its Part 141 certification on December 3, Joby said the FAA had also awarded 14 CFR Part 5 approval for an air operations safety management system, which the company developed and implemented voluntarily years ahead of the FAA-mandated deadline. 

UrbanLink Mobility has added Traverse Aero’s hybrid-electric Orca eVTOL cargo drone to its planned fleet for a diverse array of advanced air mobility services. In late November, the South Florida-based start-up confirmed an agreement to buy 40 Orca vehicles, which are being developed by California-based Traverse Aero to carry up to 550 pounds of freight in standard cargo pallets.

A survey of 100 small- and micro-cap fund managers shows continuing willingness to invest in advanced air mobility companies, according to eVTOL developer Horizon Aircraft, which commissioned the research published this week. With combined assets under management of $82.4 billion, 39% of the 100 fund managers based in North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East told research group PureProfile they intend to make their first investments in the sector or increase their current level of investment.

AutoFlight has flown a prototype for its Properity eVTOL aircraft during an event held in Japan’s Okayama prefecture to promote the development of advanced air mobility (AAM) services. The flight on November 29 was conducted through a partnership with local not-for-profit group MASC, which is looking to include eVTOL vehicles in its plans for the Setouchi Community AAM Infrastructure 2028 Project.

Mayman Aerospace is stepping up its efforts to offer the U.S. military and its allies a new approach to logistics operations in combat zones. The company recently started testing a full-scale flying testbed for its planned Razor P100 uncrewed VTOL aircraft as it makes the case for this to be deployed in so-called “contested cargo” missions as alternative to helicopters and larger drones.

Flight simulators developed by the gaming industry could play a role in training pilots to fly new eVTOL aircraft. What’s more, software like the latest versions of Microsoft’s Flight Simulator and Laminar Research’s X-Plane are also now being deployed by companies developing the wider advanced air mobility ecosystem, including vertiports.

Aura Aero has released video showing the first flight of its Integral E two-seat light aircraft at Toulouse-Francazal Airport on December 3. The French start-up, which is also developing a hybrid-electric airliner, expects the all-electric Integral to be used for flight training, aerobatics and leisure flying (including towing gliders). The aircraft is expected to have a flight endurance of around one hour and take less than 30 minutes to fully recharge.