The way people live in cities is changing. The continued growth of cities and regions and the importance of intercity and regional travel to ensure long term economic productivity together with the need to reduce the impact of our growing population on the environment, means that we need to think about different ways of living our lives and our travel commutes. Transport networks must be optimised to increase local productivity, employment, enable access to opportunities, housing and assist the development of knowledge based economies.
Social mobility is paramount. Changing the way that individuals travel within and between cities and regions is critical to ensure national prosperity in the future. The development and delivering of rapid intelligent and sustainable mobility infrastructure which supports inter modal mobility whilst dramatically reducing our carbon footprint, is critical. Electrification and aircraft autonomy will no doubt usher in a broader, more integrated carbon neutral mobility network allowing new social mobility models to emerge.
In June 2018, British engineering giant Rolls Royce and Aston Martin made headlines worldwide as they collaborated to join the race to develop electric-powered “flying taxis”, debuting its concept aircraft at the Farnborough Air Show. The company followed in the footsteps of Airbus, Boeing and over forty other manufacturers exploring the emerging opportunities around “electric air transportation”. The use of such next generation electric helicopter air taxis and autonomous services by airline and seamless travel operators, is opening up a new Airlift economy, whose total addressable market is estimated by the British Government at £675Bn by 2050. Recent significant advancements in aerospace technologies will now enable safe local air service departures/arrivals for both air based passengers and freight operators and their customers from within cities at significantly reduced costs whilst saving time and improving efficiencies. This dramatic change globally will impact life as we know it. For example, a 15 minute commute from a local city departure point will very soon be equivalent to a 88km travel radius distance! The Airlift opportunity exciting and is totally unprecedented. A 2018 study by Porsche Consulting projected a market demand for 23,000 Electric aircraft by 2035, resulting in a $32 billion passenger market alone.
Our belief is that the true enabling value of the electric aircraft opportunity however lies just underneath the sky:
- It lies in the supporting landing and take-off infrastructure and advanced systems needed.
- It lies in cutting the cost of inter-city and inter-country travel, redirecting traffic flow to second-tier and more cost-effective airports but still achieving complete journeys at a fraction of time and cost;
- It lies in exploring innovative experiences that run parallel to the core proposition
- It lies in social mobility, allowing those that live in remote locations better access to employment opportunities and the financial security of their families by creating fast and easy access to and from major urban business centers.
The Airlift Economy will enable safe, affordable and efficient regional air travel. Airlift is delivering the underlying infrastructure behind next generation air transportation hubs within cities and optimising the use of advanced AI autonomous avionics systems in accordance with regulatory and government policy to enable a robust resilient safe green circular air network. Airlift will very soon be facilitating consumer demand, integrating with OEMs, intermodal travel networks and airlines seamlessly in the near future so that journeys are more efficient, affordable and reliable. Consumers will be able to make cost effective, informed and sustainable travel choices for both on demand and scheduled services using ‘live’ travel information and seamless payment systems at the touch of an App by 2024 corresponding to the UK governments aviation ambition and strategy which is being overseen by the Civil Aviation Authority (UK). Whether a social family trip to the beach or a visit to a regional hospital with ease, the Airlift initiative will be able to serve your bespoke travel needs at affordable pricing points, all centred around lifestyle and work demands.
Given the complexity of interrelated air systems and programme delivery schedule for live operational flights within 4 years time i.e. 2024, the Airlift team has been working tirelessly alongside key stakeholders including regulators, aircraft manufacturers, municipal authorities etc to define and safely implement the underlying strategic infrastructure of this new sector over the last 18 months. Airlift’s interoperability with Airlines and other transport providers such as taxi and booking agent services providers opens up a host of sustainable aviation opportunities fundamentally changing the way and where we live and commute.
Whilst traditional airports and rail stations require passengers to visit a central station, with Airlift as the aviation hubs are rapidly deployed locally, everybody will be within a 5 – 10 minute drive to a local departure port to seamlessly travel to their destination of choice, thereby providing significant time and travel distance advantage over traditional located airports and train stations more suited for long-haul travel. The Airlift initiative provides substantial time savings previously needed to get to and from the stations in traffic, improving direct journey times and associated efficiencies whilst improving air quality and being carbon neutral. The Airlift green network facilitates the utilisation of cleaner, quieter and smarter integrated aviation systems and aircraft, freedom and optimisation of resources for all.
The Airlift economy is being delivered by a team of top professionals supported by its partners from the corporate world of aerospace, green environmentalists, airport infrastructure design, technology, regulators and national aviation organisations; working alongside the governments to deliver the Airlift economy, connecting regional towns and cities.
With increase in demand for aviation service operators and increased need for travel by everybody, it’s an unprecedented exciting time to be participating in the aviation service industry. Passenger flying is changing from concept to reality and Airlift has been actively working defining regulatory frameworks and infrastructure systems to enable a modern EU & UK distributed aviation hub network. Airlift will provide the air connectivity vital for the expansion of international trade, investment and employment, the growth of inbound tourism, and access to outbound leisure destinations. Working with local governments, Airlift will generate substantial employment and economic activity in its own right, through its supply chain and via the connectivity it provides, bringing economic benefits across the globe.
Airlift is a global aviation infrastructure company accelerating the future of mobility networks and sustainable aviation. Airlift is enabling air travel to be local, accessible and carbon free. Airlift is the future of urban air transportation networks and inherently flexible. Airlift is smart city compatible, enhances connectivity and drives an economic resurgence for cities and towns. Airlift is on demand, point to point, saving time and alleviating congestion.
Airlift is the future of travel, Airlift is Aviation 4.0
