The Brief
- St. Petersburg’s Advanced Air Mobility Task Force presented recommendations to prepare Albert Whitted Airport for eVTOLs, often described as “flying Ubers.”
- The task force calls for near-term upgrades like aircraft parking, electrical charging stations and additional safety systems, with dedicated vertiports envisioned within four to ten years depending on demand.
- The push comes as federal agencies move to accelerate advanced air mobility, including an FAA pilot program and new bipartisan legislation aimed at streamlining aircraft certification, while still emphasizing safety.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – More than a century after the world’s first scheduled commercial airline service lifted off from St. Petersburg, city leaders say they want to be ready for what could be aviation’s next big leap: electric “air taxis,” also known as eVTOLs (electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft).
These aircraft aren’t just delivery drones. The concept is closer to a short-hop, electric rideshare in the sky, moving people and cargo between key destinations.
At a recent city council meeting, task force chair Ed Montanari told council the city’s role in aviation history is part of the motivation to plan early, pointing back to 1914, when the world’s first regularly scheduled heavier-than-air airline service took off from St. Petersburg’s Municipal Pier.
Montanari told council: “Preparation is not optional. It’s essential.”…