Air taxi services by MAHB-Skyports-Volocopter consortium at Subang Airport?

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) is exploring the deployment of revolutionary electric air taxi services at Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport (Subang Airport) here, followed by other potential locations nationwide.

MAHB said the move, part of the Subang Regeneration plan, would put Malaysia among the leaders in urban air mobility (UAM) in Asia Pacific.

To make this happen, MAHB has teamed up with UAM company Volocopter and vertiport firm Skyports.

Volocopter is a German-based aircraft manufacturer specialising in the design of electric multirotor helicopters in the form of personal air vehicles for air taxi use.

Skyports is the world-leading designer and operator of vertiport infrastructure for electric air taxis.

MAHB said the memorandum of understanding with Volocopter and Skyports was a first step for the parties to combine their distinct aerospace and aviation expertise.

They will undertake a feasibility study examining suitable vertiport solutions.

This is to enable safe take-off and landing of passenger electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, considering factors such as demand, customer flow and how to integrate UAM operations.

Skyports’ role includes exploring the development and operations of vertiports at airports operated by MAHB, subjected to the agreed business and development model.

Vertiports is responsible for eVTOL aircraft to take off and land.

MAHB group chief executive officer (CEO) Datuk Mohd Shukrie Mohd Salleh said air taxi technology and revolution would be the next big thing that the company aspired to execute in the Malaysian aviation.

“With Subang Airport offering a synergistic ecosystem within the aviation and aerospace sectors, it is timely for us to explore this new service as it complements other key developments of the regeneration initiative,” he said in a statement today.

Mohd Shukrie said Volocopter and Skyports were both leaders in their respective fields of advanced air mobility.

MAHB was hopeful to further futureproof Subang Airport’s position in Asia Pacific by catering to research, assembly, manufacturing, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) in addition to air taxi operations, he added.

The Asia Pacific region is expected to capture around 45 per cent of the advanced air mobility (AAM) market with a size of US$9.5 billion by 2035.

“Our objective is to provide end to end, mid to high value capabilities and solutions that are anchored by top tier operators.

“Subang Regeneration will offer various development opportunities to aviation and aerospace players worldwide thus echoing the government’s original intent to turn Subang Airport into both an international aerospace centre and business aviation hub,” he said.

He added that the outcome of the venture would be a game-changer in terms of air travel offerings.

Skyports CEO Duncan Walker said MAHB’s ambitions for future proofing the Subang Airport and implementing electric air taxi services throughout Malaysia aligned with the company’s ambitions to deliver UAM in the Asia Pacific market.

“The feasibility study will allow us to explore all the elements needed to create a future air mobility model that could be deployed across the region.

“Our track record of success with Volocopter combined with a wealth of experience and Malaysia Airports’ objectives, make this an exciting initiative,” he added.

Volocopter chief commercial officer Christian Bauer said the Southeast Asian narket was one of the largest and most interesting ones for UAM due to its geographical layout and dense population.

“Our feasibility study will help give us insights on demand, customer expectations, and airport integration, which we can apply to other markets in the region.

“Having expert partners like Skyports and MAHB understanding the local needs, is decisive in bringing revolutionary technologies like electric air taxis to new markets,” he said.

In partnership with Volocopter, Skyports was the first to build a full-scale passenger air taxi vertiport – the take-off and landing infrastructure for eVTOL aircraft.

It was launched as part of a trial that took place in Singapore in 2019.

Skyports currently has infrastructure projects in development elsewhere in Asia, as well as in Europe and North America.

Meanwhile, Volocopter was the only eVTOL developer with a product portfolio of multicopter and fixed-wing designs that can be used for passenger air taxis and cargo transportation.

The company took a holistic approach to UAM by developing an entire ecosystem that connects the necessary components to offer electric flight in cities.

Its track record includes designing and pioneering the first piloted and fully electric air taxi in the world.

Source: NST